England comes face to face with a ghost of the past

The World Cup quarterfinals continue this Saturday, with the final two semifinal spots up for grabs. One of the tournament’s standout fixtures will see England take on Norway in Miami.

For England, the match represents another opportunity to reach a World Cup semifinal for the first time since the 2018 tournament in Russia. Since that run to the last four, the Three Lions have been desperate to return to that stage.

To get there, however, Thomas Tuchel’s side must overcome more than just Norway. They will also have to shake off the memories of a date that has brought heartbreak for England and its supporters.

In recent history, July 11 has been an unhappy day for the national team. Exactly eight years ago, Gareth Southgate’s England were beaten 2-1 by Croatia in the World Cup semifinals despite taking an early lead through Kieran Trippier.

The date also evokes memories of England’s Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy on July 11, 2021. Playing at Wembley, the hosts were denied their first major trophy since 1966 after a heartbreaking penalty shootout.

Now, England returns to action on July 11 with another high-stakes World Cup match, hoping the third time will prove the charm as the Three Lions look to finally banish those painful memories and book their place in the semifinals.

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