Players who could miss England vs Norway as huge World Cup calls await | Football | Sport
Declan Rice could feature against Norway (Image: Getty)
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Everything you need to know from the latest injury updates ahead of the Norway showdown…
- Confirmed absences: Veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson will miss the remainder of the tournament after fracturing his wrist. The former Liverpool captain picked up the injury while celebrating a goal during the victory over Mexico.
- Red-card suspension: Jarell Quansah is officially ruled out following his red card against Mexico. It has been confirmed that the centre-back will serve a two-match ban.
- Squad fitness boost: In a major boost for Thomas Tuchel, Declan Rice, Marc Guehi, and Reece James all returned to full team training on Friday. The trio appear to have shaken off their respective illnesses and injury concerns.
- Thomas Tuchel faces huge calls: With the uncertainty about whether James is fit enough to start, Djed Spence is the logical choice to fill the void. Additionally, Quansah’s suspension leaves Spence as the primary fit option capable of handling Tuchel’s full-back duties.
- Central defence: While Guehi has been a preferred starter alongside Ezri Konsa, his recent battle with severe muscle fatigue means Tuchel may have to shuffle his centre-back pairing. Newcastle’s Dan Burn could be another option to partner Konsa to provide aerial dominance.
- Left-back: Nico O’Reilly is expected to start at left full-back again.
- Previous illness outbreak in the Norway camp: Manager Stale Solbakken revealed that a sickness bug swept through the camp following their historic triumph over Brazil, with Jorgen Strand Larsen missing their opening fixture due to a fever. While it had hampered their tactical preparations in the build-up to the match, there were ultimately minimal complications.
- Norway’s team doctor issues update: Ola Sand has played down concerns ahead of the World Cup quarter-final against England. Sand told Norwegian outlet Nettavisen that ‘all players are healthy now,’ and there is ‘very little fuss, considering that we have been close together for almost six weeks.
- When is the match: The fixture is scheduled for Saturday, 11 July 2026, at 10pm BST (5pm local time), broadcast live on ITV from the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
- Weather alert: Fierce thunderstorms and intense tropical rainfall are expected over Miami around the time of kick-off. In accordance with stadium safety regulations, any lightning strikes detected within an eight-mile radius will result in compulsory match stoppages.
