World Cup 2026: England and Norway football rivalry

When England and Norway meet in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Miami on Saturday, they will renew a rivalry better defined by popular opinion than football.

It was 45 years before Judd Bellingham and Erling Haaland explained the current race that Norwegian legend Björk Lillelin gave the standard speech.

In September 1981, Norway beat an England side of Brian Robson, Glenn Hoddle, Kevin Keegan and Trevor Francis 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier that was just a stone’s throw away from their current status.

The victory came as a seismic shock to England and Norway’s epic victory at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, considered a national embarrassment.

Lillelin didn’t allow himself the chance to add to England’s suffering as he delivered a message aimed at the country’s political and sporting figures – especially then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

An undercover man accused Polish judge Jerzy Kaprzak of being “closer to accepting British citizenship” by playing extra time as he felt Norway was keeping its lead.

When Kacprzak finally blew the whistle, Lillelin was ready to hit the airwaves as chief radio analyst for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, known as NRK.

In a slightly edited version of his fascinating commentary: “Lord Nelson. Lord Beaverbrook. Sir Winston Churchill. Sir Anthony Eden. Clement Attlee. Henry Cooper. Lady Diana. We beat them all.”

And then came Lily’s most famous words.

“Maggie Thatcher, can you hear me? We have a message for you. We kicked your boys out of the World Cup. Maggie Thatcher. Your boys took a serious beating in the box houses around Madison Square Garden, New York, as they say in your language.”

Then he repeated for good measure: “Your men took a hell of a beating.”

The last line in particular has been repeated – and changed to suit the occasion – since Lily introduced it.

England qualified for the 1982 World Cup in Spain, contrary to Lille’s claim, but it didn’t matter.

Social media didn’t exist in 1981. The impact and enthusiasm of the comment, if it happened now, would be mind-blowing.

Lillelin, who was a very popular person, died six years later at the age of 60, but she died with those words, which he usually said were sudden and unprepared.

His emotional speech has been forever preserved by the wonders of YouTube, aided by Lilly, who is fluent in English, switching from his native tongue: “Maggie Thatcher. Can you hear me?” And “your guys beat him to hell.”

England’s defeat was one of the shockest in their history, following a 4-0 first-leg defeat at Wembley a year earlier.

Lillian’s colorful commentary at the time of Norway’s victory means those who played for England in that defeat will not be allowed to forget.

Every time England meets Norway, Lille is remembered fondly by all but those who still suffer those painful memories.