Bellingham took England into the World Cup semifinals with two goals after drama against Norway
The England national football team secured a place in the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup after a 2:1 victory against Norway after extra time in Miami. The hero of the quarterfinal was Jude Bellingham, who first equalized in the closing stages of the first half and then scored the decisive goal in extra time. Norway had taken the lead through Andreas Schjelderup and for a long time looked like a team capable of achieving the greatest result in its national-team history, but England survived periods of intense pressure and once again found a way out of a difficult situation. According to FIFA's official schedule, the match was played on July 11 at a stadium in the Miami area, and with the victory Thomas Tuchel's team secured a place in the semifinal on July 15 in Atlanta. England therefore remain in the race for a second world title and their first since 1966.
Norway took the lead through Schjelderup
From the start, the duel had the characteristics of a match in which neither team wanted to open up too much space too early. England tried to control possession and gradually build attacks, while Norway looked for quick transitions toward Erling Haaland and the wide players. That approach brought the Norwegians the lead in the 36th minute, when Andreas Schjelderup used the space in the English defence and beat Jordan Pickford with a precise strike. The Associated Press stated that this was only Schjelderup's second start at the tournament, which makes his goal on the biggest stage even more significant. After taking the lead, Norway looked organized, compact and dangerous every time they moved forward, while England appeared shaken for several minutes.
The goal further highlighted the problem England had in the first half: slow ball circulation and an insufficiently precise reaction after losing possession. Haaland did not have to be constantly involved in the finish to influence the match, because his presence tied up the English centre-backs and opened space for his teammates. During that period, Norway showed why they had previously eliminated Brazil 2:1 in the round of 16, as confirmed by FIFA's official results overview. Ståle Solbakken's team did not drop deep immediately after the goal, but tried to maintain a balance between defence and additional pressure. England were therefore forced to speed up their play before going into the break.
Bellingham brought England back before halftime
The equalizer came in first-half stoppage time, at a moment when it seemed Norway would go into the break with the lead. Jude Bellingham received the ball in a dangerous area and finished the move with the composure that has become one of his main trademarks at the tournament. According to the Associated Press report, it was his fifth goal at the 2026 World Cup, after he had already played an important role in England's 3:2 win against Mexico in the round of 16. The equalizer completely changed the emotional tone of the match: Norway were left without a reward for a very good first half, while England gained new energy just before the interval. Bellingham once again confirmed his ability to turn decisive moments into his own stage.
The move that preceded the goal, however, caused major debate. Norwegian goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland and coach Solbakken claimed that the ball had touched the aerial camera cable above the pitch after a clearance, which meant play should have been stopped. According to reports in the British media, FIFA concluded after reviewing the data from the sensors in the ball that there had been no contact with the cable, so the goal remained valid. The rules provide for play to be stopped and restarted with a dropped ball if it touches an outside object, but in this case the officials did not establish that this had happened. The controversy remained one of the main topics after the match, especially because possession from that situation led to England's equalizer.
Norwegian goal disallowed and chances missed
The second half brought more open football and more situations in front of both goals. Norway found the net in the 56th minute through Torbjørn Heggem, but the goal was not allowed because of a foul by Haaland at the start of the move, the Associated Press reported. That decision prevented the Norwegians from retaking the lead and further increased the tension on the pitch. Haaland had several promising situations during the match, including a header with which he failed to beat Pickford, but the English defence mostly forced him into attempts from unfavourable positions. The great attacking duel between Haaland and Harry Kane therefore did not produce a goal from either of the two captains and top scorers of their national teams.
England, on the other hand, had several spells of territorial initiative, but struggled to find a clean finish against Norway's well-set defence. Kane often dropped deeper to link the play, while Bellingham and the wide players tried to move into the space that was created as a result. Norway successfully closed the centre and pushed their opponent toward the flanks, where crosses did not create enough danger. As time passed, the physical demands of the match became increasingly visible, while the high temperature and humidity in Florida further drained the players. After 90 minutes the score remained 1:1, so the semifinalist had to be decided by extra time.
VAR overturned a penalty, and then Bellingham decided it
Extra time began with more drama. England were awarded a penalty after contact in the Norwegian penalty area, but the decision was changed after a VAR review because the officials judged that the English player had initiated the contact. That situation could have had a strong impact on Thomas Tuchel's team, but the reaction was the opposite: England continued to press and soon found the winning goal. According to reports by The Guardian and ESPN, Bellingham took advantage of goalkeeper Nyland's mistake after Morgan Rogers' shot or cross and from close range sent the ball into the net. ESPN recorded the goal in extra time, and the final score of 2:1 confirmed England's passage into the world's top four national teams.
After Bellingham's second goal, Norway launched a final push, aware that they had very little time left to come back. England dropped deeper, defended the penalty area with a greater number of players and relied on Pickford's assurance in moments when the ball came in front of goal. The Guardian reported that exhaustion and cramps affected several players, while Bellingham had to leave the pitch before the end after a huge physical effort. Norway tried with long balls and set pieces, but did not find a second goal. The final whistle marked the end of Norway's historic run and the beginning of a new semifinal challenge for England.
Bellingham took on the central role in the England team
Bellingham's two goals carry weight beyond the result itself. The Real Madrid midfielder took responsibility in the quarterfinal at a moment when England's attack was not managing to create enough chances, and his ability to arrive from the second line again proved decisive. For the first goal, he demonstrated control and precision under pressure, while for the second he reacted faster than the Norwegian defence and punished the goalkeeper's mistake. Such an impact further strengthens his status as one of the key players of the tournament. Although England expected a great deal from Kane before the match, it was Bellingham who decided the biggest knockout-stage duel for Tuchel's team.
His contribution was not limited only to finishing. During the match, Bellingham connected midfield with attack, entered duels and tried to raise the tempo when Norway closed the routes toward the penalty area. In doing so, he also showed mental resilience, because he did not retreat after the period in which England were trailing and exposed to Norwegian counterattacks. In major tournament matches, the ability of an individual to remain calm in a few key seconds often decides the outcome, and the 23-year-old midfielder did exactly that twice. His performance overshadowed Haaland, although the Norwegian striker constantly represented a threat and had an important tactical role.
Norway ended a historic tournament
The defeat does not diminish the scale of Norway's success at this World Cup. In its quarterfinal preview, FIFA pointed out that Norway had reached this stage of the final tournament for the first time, and their path included victories against Ivory Coast in the round of 32 and Brazil in the round of 16. The triumph over Brazil made a particularly strong impression, as Norway showed that they could withstand the pressure of one of the most decorated national teams while also being effective in attack. Against England, they were a few minutes away from extra time with a lead, and then very close to scoring again in the second half. Solbakken's team leave the tournament without a semifinal, but with confirmation that they belong among serious European national teams.
The tournament also showed that the Norwegian national team is no longer dependent solely on Haaland's goals. Schjelderup's performance in the quarterfinal, the work of the midfield and the discipline of the defence were equally important for an even match against England. Haaland was the main symbol and the most dangerous player of the team at the tournament, but Norway built a structure that allows them to threaten even when the opponent has focused its greatest attention precisely on him. The question for the next cycle will be whether this generation can confirm the result from 2026 through continuity. The experience gained in duels against Brazil and England could have long-term value for a national team that had waited decades to return to the biggest stage.
England in the semifinals for the third time in the tournament's recent history
For England, the progression is also important because of the historical context. The national team won its only world title in 1966 on home soil, and since then its best results had been semifinals in 1990 and 2018. FIFA's official schedule confirms that the winner of this quarterfinal will play in Atlanta on July 15 against the winner of the match between Argentina and Switzerland. At the moment the match in Miami ended, that opponent was not yet known, because the final quarterfinal was scheduled for later that same day local time. England will therefore have several days for recovery, analysis and adjustment to a new opponent.
Tuchel's team did not reach the semifinal without problems. In the group, they beat Croatia 4:2 and Panama 2:0 and drew 0:0 with Ghana, according to FIFA's official results. In the first knockout round they defeated the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2:1, and then in the round of 16 beat Mexico 3:2 in one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament. The quarterfinal against Norway continued the same pattern: England did not dominate the entire match, but in the key moments they found the player and the solution they needed. Such an ability to survive is often decisive at major tournaments, although the coaching staff will be aware that in the semifinal the room for mistakes becomes even smaller.
The first World Cup with 48 national teams enters its final stage
The 2026 World Cup is the first edition with 48 national teams and an expanded knockout phase that begins with the round of 32. According to FIFA's schedule, the tournament is being played in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and includes a total of 104 matches. England therefore had to get through one more elimination round to reach the semifinal than teams at previous tournaments with 32 participants. The physical burden is further increased by travel between host cities, climate differences and matches in the summer conditions of North America. The duel in Miami was a clear example of how environmental conditions can become part of the tactical and conditioning story.
In the other semifinal pairing, France and Spain had already been matched, after France beat Morocco 2:0 in the quarterfinal and Spain beat Belgium 2:1, according to FIFA's results overview. England will continue their path toward the final on July 15, while the final match is scheduled for July 19 at the stadium in the New York and New Jersey area. Until then, Tuchel will have to assess the condition of his exhausted players, especially those who played almost the full 120 minutes against Norway. Bellingham's form gives England reason for optimism, but the quarterfinal also showed that more stable control of the match will be needed for the title. After another dramatic evening, the dream of a first world trophy in six decades nevertheless remains alive.
Sources:
- FIFA – official schedule, results and match overview of the 2026 World Cup (link)
- FIFA – preview of the Norway – England quarterfinal and context of Norway's historic achievement (link)
- Associated Press – course of the match, Schjelderup and Bellingham goals and key refereeing situations (link)
- The Guardian – report on England's victory after extra time, VAR decisions and the final stages of the match (link)
- ESPN – confirmation of the final score and recording of Bellingham's winning goal in extra time (link)