Rogers backs Kane to outshine Haaland in World Cup showdown

KANSAS CITY: England’s Morgan Rogers backed Harry Kane to come out on top when he faces Norway’s Erling Haaland in an enticing battle between the World Cup sharpshooters on Saturday.

The forwards, who will meet in the quarter-finals in Miami, are among the frontrunners in a thrilling race for the tournament’s Golden Boot award, along with Lionel Messi and France’s Kylian Mbappe.

Aston Villa forward Rogers admitted Manchester City’s Haaland, who has scored seven goals so far, was almost impossible to stop.

“Has anyone ever stopped Erling Haaland? I’m not sure they have, but we’re going to try,” the 23-year-old said at England’s Kansas City base camp on Wednesday.

“He’s such an unbelievable player. The things he does, the numbers he puts up, you’re just in awe of how good he is, and the level he’s at.”

Haaland has netted in each of his past 14 competitive outings for Norway – 27 goals in total – and is bound to prove a handful for England’s shaky defence.

But Rogers is confident England captain Kane, one goal behind Haaland in the race to be the World Cup’s top scorer, would come out on top.

“They’re the two, for me, that are at the top of their game in this tournament, and have been two of the best players,” he said.

“It’s a spectacle, I suppose, for the fans and it’s going to be a good one to see who comes out on top.

“I hope it’s Harry, and I’m sure it will be. I think we’ve got that confidence in him. He’s playing at probably the highest level that he’s ever played at, which is madness to say, because of what he’s been doing for so many years.”

No limit for Bellingham

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham, 23, has been England’s other outstanding player at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Rogers said there was no limit to the heights Bellingham could reach.

“You forget how young he is, that’s how good he’s been but I still think there’s a long way to go and he’ll probably say the same as well – the drive and the hunger he’s got in the game for what he wants to achieve,” he said.

“He knows that he’s got things to work on, things to improve on like we all do and I think that’s what’s so exciting about being an England fan, an England player, being his friend.

“I think it’s just how far he can go. No one really knows and kind of having no cap on what he can achieve really.”

Rogers, who came on as a late substitute in England’s thrilling last-16 win against Mexico, admitted it was impossible not to think ahead to the final as the tournament reached its closing stages.

“We’re all aligned, we’re all on the same page of attacking each game in the best way possible really,” he said.

“So I think it’s difficult because we’re all human and we’re all excited as we should be but at the same time we know we’ve got a job to do and it’s still a long way away from that yet.”