England players recharge in Kansas City ahead of Norway World Cup quarter-final

England’s players are taking a well-earned rest in Kansas City after their remarkable victory over co-hosts Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, with Thomas Tuchel’s side set to face Norway in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday.

The Three Lions were handed two full days off following what has been widely described as one of the greatest performances in tournament history. England overcame the hostile atmosphere of the Azteca, the altitude, and a spell with ten men to defeat the Mexican co-hosts on their own turf.

Tuchel has already turned his attention to the next challenge, warning that Norway will require a different kind of preparation. “Norway pose a different threat, some that we know really well, some world-class players in there, so we will have to be ready,” the England head coach said.

Harry Kane, who converted a penalty against Mexico to bring his tournament tally to seven goals, acknowledged that the squad needed time to decompress emotionally before shifting focus to the quarter-final.

“The connection with everyone is even stronger now and we feel that more than ever,” Kane said. “We recover now, we calm down, we have a couple of days relaxing and then obviously get prepared for a massive quarter-final.”

The victory over Mexico drew enormous praise from across the football world, with England’s ability to manage adversity — including playing a man down — cited as evidence of genuine title credentials. Norway now stand between Tuchel’s side and a place in the semi-finals.