Football Daily - World Cup: Thomas Tuchel & Harry Kane Ahead of Norway

Episode Date: July 11, 2026

England manager Thomas Tuchel and captain Harry Kane speak to John Murray ahead of England's World Cup quarter-final against Norway. Tuchel says England still have "another gear" to find, while Kane explains why the squad's experience could be key to reaching the semi-finals.John is also joined by former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson to assess England's chances, compare Kane v Haaland, and discuss why England may have the stronger all-round team.0’43 - Paul Robinson looking ahead to Norway 2’39 - Thomas Tuchel interview 3’16 - How do England make their knockout stage experience count? 3’59 - Tuchel on how England still have another gear and not yet at same level as in qualifying 5’08 - Tuchel on how he can make a difference at this stage of a tournament 6’16 - Paul Robinson on England players with competitive experience at this stage 7’47 - Harry Kane on the high of Mexico win 9’12 - Kane on the experience of being at these tournaments 9’51 - Kane v Haaland 11’48 - Paul Robinson on Harry Kane being a ‘superhero character’

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. The United States is about to mark its 250th anniversary. And so on the global story podcast from the BBC, we're telling surprising tales of American influence on the world stage and in ordinary people's lives all across the globe. We have this ability to export our story, and a lot of people have bought it. I feel like the American dream is alive, but not well. From the BBC, it's the United States,

2.50. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. The 2026 World Cup started with 48 teams and we've now reached the knockout stage. Records have been broken the way that Messi has been able to score all these goals late in his career. He's happy to play football and broken records is the consequence for him. And new heroes have emerged. This country's caught the fever. Casual, fans are now die-hard fans. And the More Than the Score podcast is bringing you the stories beyond

the score lines. More than the score from the BBC World Service. Listen now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. At the People World Cup 2026, the Football Daily Podcasts with John Murray. Hello from

Miami, Florida. I'm John Murray, and this is a Football Daily special to preview England's World Cup quarter-final here against Norway, Erling Harland, Martin Odegaard and all, the team that knocked out Brazil in the last round. We're going to hear from the England captain, Harry Kane. We're going to hear from the England manager, Thomas Tuchel.

But Paul Robinson is sitting alongside me, as you so often have during the course of this World Cup, Paul. This is, I think, a fascinating quarter-final, England against Norway. John, it's special. It really is. have been very lucky with the conditions that they've played in. The three outdoor games that they've had, it's poured with rain. It's been very much Manchester conditions and obviously the indoor arenas air conditioned.

But tomorrow and it's going to be very, very different. It's very hot here, as we both know here in Miami. It's very hot. It's very humid. And they will face a difficult opposition in the weather. But like you say, the Norwegian team are a very very. strong team and Premier League proven players that we know. And in Miami

again this is very different to anywhere else we've been. Where we're speaking to you from here, as we record this, it's a Friday night and hundreds, thousands of Norwegian fans and England fans are pouring into this place and it is Miami. We're next to the water, there are the sights

and sounds that you would imagine from here and it is an extraordinary place to come to. And to think that the World Cup match is taking place here is I have to say it does mess with your mind. England flew in here today. And remember, this is where England started this World Cup, warming up and playing the matches in Florida.

So they're back in Florida. They trained up in Fort Lauderdale at the Inter-M Miami Coaching Complex. And the news was that Declan Rice, Mark Gay, Reese James, were all able to train. There were doubts about all of them, illness and injury, but all were able to train. So apart from Jordan Henderson, obviously, and the suspended Jarrell Kwanza, Thomas Tuckel has a clean bill of health.

So let us hear from the England manager after the nail-biting drama of the wins against D.R. Congo and Mexico, I asked Thomas Tuchel tonight if he could assure the England football watching and listening public, this might be a smoother ride. I think deep down they love the drama if it comes to a good end. They love the drama more than a boring win 100%. Everyone does. So if it has a good end, you're absolutely right. It's nerve shredding.

And of course on the sideline as well. But we came out as winners both times. And I think we deserve the wins. But it was hard, hard work. It was nervy. And the emotional rollercoaster, very draining. So we had our times to digest. We had enough days to digest and focus now on the challenge ahead.

but no guarantees, this will be a next tough one. For this match, this is as far as Norway have ever gone into a World Cup. Whereas we know that the England squad, because of the recent tournaments, you've got a stack of experience of playing in the latter stages of tournaments reaching finals.

How do you make that count now? Players need to make it count. I never played in a quarterfinal as for sure not as a player, so they will make it count. I think on a level that is maybe difficult to explain. We don't talk about this very much but

you know sometimes sometimes it's also nice if you experience something at the first time like Norway and you just ride the wave and it's over-achieve and you're over-achieve and everything feels light, light, light so this can sometimes help but I don't feel that the pressure

puts us down at the moment. I don't feel the players play with fear or with anxiety on the other side I still feel that we have another gear in us that we have another level in us. And we are ready to release it. It's on the players.

To be honest, we're not holding them black. This is this disconnect that you're talking about. Yeah, there's a slight disconnect in football terms to the way we played on highest level in, let's say, in the qualifying campaign, the way we played against Costa Rica in the last friendly before the World Cup, the way we played second half against Croatia.

So we have glimpses, but not on the same level. I totally, I can accept. I'm not angry, I'm not disappointed. This World Cup is a complicated tournament and it is just difficult to overcome strong, strong opponents. So full credit to the players, but still as a football coach and as their coach, I see the quality in training. I see what we did in the matches that I just said. And of course we want to tap into this level of quality. And while a World Cup quarterfinal is new for you, you've been involved in new

numerous quarterfinals. So how can the coach make a difference at this stage? Yeah, it is of course experience helps because it be it good or bad, you can learn from them and you go through it, you prepare in a different way if it's not the first time. And at the moment we are very calm. We go through all our options. We train defensively, we trained offensively. And the way is to encourage everyone, to be brave and to actually go for it.

We have nothing to lose because we haven't won anything yet. So there's nothing to lose. We want to go for it. We want to brave. We want to push the luck on our side. Good luck with it, Thomas. Thank you. Thank you.

So there we are, the England manager Thomas Tuchel on the eve of England's quarter final. Paul Robinson with me here, England World Cup goalkeeper. He's basically saying that this is where all of that experience that the England players have gleaned over the course of the last four tournaments against Norway who have never been. this far in a World Cup as a collective, this is where that experience has got to count. And I think for him, and he looks at the players that he's got there with the players that have got competitive experience, there's a lot of players in that England side now that have gone

deep into tournaments, and I think he understands that as well. We look at Reese James, who's hopefully coming back into the side, John Stones is coming back into the side, and Thomas Tuchel knows how to win things. You look at the trophies that he's won, and that's why he's been brought in as England manager. And I think this may be where he comes into his pinnacle, if you like. We've seen his in-game management. His in-game management has been absolutely outstanding. You look at the Croatia game.

He didn't defend weaknesses. He played to strengths. And then again, in the last game, he went to about five. And you look at the way that he played, I think you cannot criticise his in-game management for what he's done. I think he's been absolutely outstanding. However, we know what the headline act is in this quarter-final.

It will feature Harry Kane on one side and Erling Harland on the other. For Harry Kane, this will be his 120th cap, which means that he will move alongside Wayne Rooney as the two men outfield players who have won more caps for England than anyone else. But Kane against Harland, that is 73 goals against 58 goals for club and country this season.

But when I had a chance to speak to, Harry Kane, I just wanted to know first if he's ever been as high with England after a performance as he was in the Azteca. Yeah, it's right up there, to be honest, in my career. Just an incredible game, incredible high after the game and celebrations and travelling back, arriving back at 7, 8 a.m. in the morning. The sun's rising, you're kind of just taking everything in. It was a special night to be an England player, I think to be an England fan, to be in that stadium. So, yeah, special night. But as we know, we're on to the next one now.

We have an important game tomorrow, and we know how much it will mean for us and the fans to get through to the semi-final. You must be aware of the fact that millions and millions of people stayed up listening, watching, were absolutely gripped by it in the middle of the night. Yeah, I think that's what makes, you know, these major tournaments, these World Cups so special

is when you're watching it at different times. And obviously, we knew it was what ended up being 1 or 2 a.m., I think, in the morning. morning back home in England and game finishing at 4, 5 a.m. celebrating until the early, doing an all-nighter, kind of what I said before. I hope some of the boys and girls were doing all-nighters and just enjoying the celebrations. And, yeah, we hope for more of the same, obviously, tomorrow. We know how much the fans are behind us and the stadium will be rocking and there will be plenty

of England fans here in Miami tomorrow. So it's another opportunity for us to do them proud. And in these recent tournaments This is familiar ground now, isn't it? A quarterfinal, fifth tournament in a row. You know what to expect? Yeah, we have experience in these games. I think not just at international level, but I think at club level,

when you go through the team, a lot of players playing in big games for their clubs as well, which obviously helps. But ultimately it's about showing that on the pitch. We can talk as much as we won as a team and now in the press conference and with you guys, but we need to go out there and show that.

against a really difficult team. So quarterfinal, the World Cup, you expect to play the best teams and we do that. They're riding high, they're scoring goals, they're being really effective.

So we need to show our best version if we want to get through and it's an exciting opportunity to have that. There's obviously a lot more to this than just Harry Kane versus Erling Harland. But tell me, has he, because of the numbers

that he put together from a young age and when he came to the Premier League, and I know the other top strikers will no doubt have given you that inspiration as well. But did he make you think this is a new force here? You know, I've got to step up, match this. I don't think in particular, no. I think maybe subconsciously, you know, you're pushing each other from afar. We obviously play in different leagues and, you know, Keeleon plays in a different league.

So maybe from the outside, just having a motivation to see how many goals we can score, see how much we can push the team. But yeah, I think if you ask everyone, you're more focused on what you can achieve. And, yeah, for me personally this year, it's been really special from that front to score the amount of goals that I have and show that, you know, even at 32,

you can still improve and push and get better. And that'll be my mindset for many years to come. So, yeah, I think, you know, all of us push each other on, all top players you see them throughout history, end up having amazing seasons year after year because the consistency is really important and I think since Erling's come in

and scored the goals he has of course he's shown that he can be at an incredible level every year he plays and that just motivates me to be even better than what I've been. So Harry Kane, the England captain and Erling Harland as we sit here looking ahead to this match on a vibrant Friday night

in the centre of Miami. me. That is the headline act, Paul, but there's so much more to it than that. There's a lot of subplots around this game, but I think if you look at Harry Kane, Mani-Khan, that will always be the headline. And I think from England's point of view, with Harry Kane, we've sat in press conferences, John, we've looked at Harry Kane sat there at the front, and we've had this conversation. There's not many times where I've sat in the press conference, and the player sat next to the manager has fielded more questions than the manager.

and he is this like superhero type of character now and he's he's gone to that level the goals that he scored in this tournament the way that he's pulled England up by the shoelaces and got them through captain talisman leader all the superlatives keep going you can use all of them for him he's been excellent I think the way that Thomas Tupel has exposed you Bellingham to a point this this season leaving him out of the squad leaving out the starting lineup but with Harry Kane we cannot do without Harry Kane. Jude Bellingham yes it's been proven that England can live without but he's a big game player a big big game player. Harry Kane England cannot live without and this this really is a game of Harry Kane Erling Harlan but

we have a better team behind Harry Kane than Norway do. Paul thank you very much very much looking forward to sitting alongside you for the commentary at 5 live will be the place to listen to Norway, England. 10pm Saturday night, UK time, live with us from inside the Miami Dolphins Stadium. Also, by the way, you'll be able to watch a full rerun on Sunday morning on BBC 2 on the television and that starts at 645. But as I say, for the live radio commentary, 5 Live and BBC sounds. Mark Chapman is here with us. He will be presenting 5 live sport from inside the stadium. and our coverage begins at 8.30 UK time, and don't forget, 10 o'clock kickoff. There's this noise that you make.

You don't decide to make it. It just comes out. I don't know what that's good either. But everyone makes it at the same time. It makes you feel... I don't know how to say it. We know that feeling. The United States is about to mark its 250th anniversary.

And so on the Global Story podcast from the BBC, we're telling surprising tales of American influence on the world stage and in ordinary people's lives all across the globe. We have this ability to export our story, and a lot of people have bought it. I feel like the American dream is alive, but not well. From the BBC, it's the United States at 250. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. The 2026 World Cup started with 48 teams

and we've now reached the knockout stage. Records have been broken the way that Messi has been able to score all these goals late in his career. He's happy to play football and broken records is the consequence for him. And new heroes have emerged. This country's caught the fever. casual fans are now diehard fans.

And The More Than the Score podcast is bringing you the stories beyond the score lines. More than The Score from the BBC World Service. Listen now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts.