England, Norway Players Pay Tribute to Jayden Adams before World Cup Quarterfinal

The England and Norway players paid a homage to South Africa's Jayden Adams, who tragically passed away on Saturday (July 11).

Adams, who played for the Bafana Bafana in FIFA World Cup 2026, was found dead in a mysterious condition.

His body was found at a residence in Schotsche Kloof, Cape Town, prompting police to open an inquest. The cause of death has not been officially confirmed, and authorities have urged the public to avoid speculation while the family is granted privacy.

Adams enjoyed a breakout year in 2026. He helped Mamelodi Sundowns win the CAF Champions League in May and earned a recall to the national team. At the World Cup in the United States and Canada, he featured in all three group-stage matches, starting against Mexico and Czech Republic, and coming off the bench versus South Korea. His resilience shone through as he started against Czechia just one day after his grandmother's passing. South Africa advanced to the round of 32 for the first time in their history before exiting against Canada.

Tributes have poured in from across the football world. South Africa's Minister of Sport Gayton McKenzie described Adams as one of the nation's "brightest young talents."

FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed sadness over the loss of a player who had just contributed to his country's historic campaign.

England, Norway pay respect to Adams

And ahead of the quarterfinal between England and Norway, the players of both teams paid their respects to Adams. The two sets of players observed a minute of silence in respect for the South African.

The match is being played in Miami amid sweltering heat as a semifinal spot is up for grabs. The winner of this match will play either Argentina or Switzerland in Wednesday's semifinal. In the other semifinal, France are set to lock horns against Spain after they won their quarterfinals against Morocco (2-0) and Belgium (2-1) respectively.