England fans take over Miami as Norway stand between Tuchel and the next step
11.07.26, 08:00 Updated 11.07.26, 09:06
Phil Martin
And so to Miami. Mid afternoon on Friday here on South Beach and spirits are understandably high. There is a buzz on the iconic Ocean Drive, where England shirts dominate the pavement cafés, bars and beachfront terraces. By kick-off, local authorities expect as many as 30,000 England supporters to have descended on the city. England fans are everywhere you look. Flags draped from balconies. Chants rolling from sports bars. Conversations centred on one thing and one thing only. England against Norway.
The bars have been full since breakfast. Every television screen is tuned to football and Spain v Belgium. Every queue seems to feature supporters discussing Thomas Tuchel's likely line-up, debating whether Jude Bellingham will be the game's dominant figure or sharing stories from previous games. It feels less like Florida and more like a temporary English seaside town, transported 4,000 miles across the Atlantic.
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Phil Martin Author, journalist and veteran of eight major tournaments, and England top capper, with a background in sports writing, editing and publishing.