John Terry has warned that England must stop Martin Odegaard to keep their World Cup hopes alive, describing the Arsenal captain as central to 'everything' Norway do well. The Three Lions face Norway in the quarter-finals on Saturday after a dramatic 3-2 victory over co-hosts Mexico.
England's historic win over Mexico
England booked their place in the last eight with an unforgettable 3-2 victory at the iconic Azteca stadium, located 7,000 feet above sea level. Jude Bellingham scored twice and Harry Kane converted a penalty. The win is considered one of England's greatest, given Mexico's formidable record at the venue. Jarell Quansah's sending off early in the second half made the result even more remarkable, as Thomas Tuchel's side defended a barrage of attacks in the closing stages.
However, the victory was marred by a freak, tournament-ending injury to Jordan Henderson during the post-match celebrations. The squad must now quickly focus on the quarter-final clash with Norway, who are competing in the last eight for the first time in their history.
Terry's praise for England
Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored, former England captain John Terry described the performance as 'enormous' and ranked it second only to the famous 5-1 win over Germany. 'I thought it was an unbelievable performance,' Terry said. 'Individuals were excellent, the tempo was high, and the manager deserved an awful lot of credit.'
Terry highlighted leaders in the squad: Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, and Reece James. 'They cannot get injured and have to be at the forefront of our success,' he added. He compared Bellingham to Zinedine Zidane, saying the young midfielder's two goals 'topped it off'.
Norway's threats: Haaland and Odegaard
Norway boast two Premier League stars: Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard. Haaland has scored seven goals in four World Cup games, level with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi at the top of the scoring charts. But Terry is equally impressed by Odegaard's impact, especially in Norway's 2-1 victory over Brazil.
'Everything that goes well through that team goes through Martin Odegaard,' Terry said. 'If England stop him and Erling Haaland, then we have a big, big chance.'
Defensive advice for England's centre-backs
Terry offered advice for England's centre-backs, Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa, ahead of their battle with Haaland. 'It's difficult because he can just run in behind you,' Terry explained. 'He's so powerful and quick. From set-plays and crosses, he comes alive. Gabriel found that out yesterday.'
He urged defenders to focus on Haaland rather than the ball. 'As soon as that ball goes wide, I need to take myself out of the equation, take Haaland out of the equation. Whoever is marking him in the box, stay tight, be really selfish, and take him out the game.'
If England overcome Norway, they will face one of Argentina, Egypt, Switzerland, or Colombia in the semi-finals.
