Bellingham, double hero in extra time: England edge Norway (2-1) to reach the semi-finals
England are in the 2026 World Cup semi-finals, and they are there thanks to Jude Bellingham. At Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, Thomas Tuchel's side beat Norway (2-1) after extra time in a brutal contest. Andreas Schjelderup put the Scandinavians ahead on 36' (assisted by Ødegaard), but Bellingham levelled on the stroke of half-time (45', assisted by Gordon) and struck the decisive goal on 93', already in extra time. England were slightly the better side —53% possession, eight shots on target to four and 1.09 expected goals to 0.77— but needed a colossal Bellingham, named man of the match (8.5). Norway, with Haaland starting, bow out with their heads high and a superb Nyland in goal. In the semi-finals England await their opponent: the winner of Argentina-Switzerland, played on Sunday.
Some players show up when a game needs an owner. At Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, with England staring at a World Cup exit, up stepped Jude Bellingham to carry his side into the semi-finals. His double —one on the stroke of half-time and another in extra time— saw off a brave Norway who led, held on and fell just short of the greatest feat in their recent history. It finished 2-1, with the England number 10's name written across every headline.
Thomas Tuchel set England up in a 4-2-3-1 with Pickford in goal, the Rice-Anderson double pivot and an attacking trio of Madueke, Bellingham and Gordon behind Harry Kane. Opposite, Ståle Solbakken sent out Norway in a 4-3-3 with Ødegaard pulling the strings, Sørloth and Schjelderup stretching the play and Erling Haaland up top. The Scandinavian plan, solid and quick in transition, worked to perfection for an hour.
Norway struck first on 36 minutes. Ødegaard threaded a measured pass for Andreas Schjelderup, who finished coolly for 1-0 to send a whole nation dreaming. England's response, though, was not long in coming. Right before the break, on 45', Anthony Gordon teed up Bellingham, who made no mistake for the 1-1 that they took into the dressing room and that completely changed his team's mood.
The second half was a battle of nerves. England controlled the ball —53% possession, fourteen shots with eight on target to Norway's four, 1.09 expected goals to 0.77— but ran again and again into Ørjan Nyland. The Norwegian keeper, author of a superb display (8.2), held his side together and forced an extra time that felt inevitable with the score at 1-1 after ninety minutes.
Extra time had barely begun when the decisive blow arrived. In the 93rd minute, Bellingham popped up in the box once more to beat Nyland and score the 2-1 that was worth a semi-final. Norway, with Haaland shut down by the English defence and a yellow card for Ajer on 117' their only disciplinary scare, tried until the end but no longer had the legs to rise again.
England thus reach a semi-final without yet knowing their opponent: it will come from the clash between Argentina and Switzerland, the last quarter-final, played on Sunday. Tuchel's side, who had already knocked out hosts Mexico with a Bellingham brace, repeat the script and the reliance: as long as the number 10 keeps showing up, England will keep believing. The man of the match (8.5) has put them among the world's last four.