Jude Bellingham produced another match-winning performance as England came from behind to defeat Norway 2-1 after extra time, booking their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals.
The Real Madrid midfielder scored twice, including the decisive goal just three minutes into extra time, to send Thomas Tuchel’s side through to the last four, where they will face either Argentina or Switzerland.
England endured a frustrating first half and fell behind in the 36th minute when Andreas Schjelderup’s dangerous delivery from a tight angle evaded everyone before bouncing in off the far post.
However, Bellingham once again stepped up for the Three Lions, timing his run perfectly before drilling a composed finish beyond Ørjan Nyland deep into first-half stoppage time to restore parity.
Harry Kane thought he had completed the turnaround moments later, only for his delicate finish to be ruled out for offside after a VAR check.
Norway started the second half strongly and twice threatened from set-pieces. Erling Haaland forced Jordan Pickford into an important save before Patrick Berg and Torbjørn Heggem were denied after another VAR intervention ruled out what appeared to be a second Norwegian goal.
With neither side able to find a winner in normal time, England made the perfect start to extra time. Morgan Rogers tested Nyland with a powerful effort that the goalkeeper could only spill, allowing Bellingham to react quickest and fire home the rebound in the 93rd minute.
England thought they had earned a penalty shortly afterwards, but the decision was overturned following another VAR review. Norway’s hopes suffered another blow when manager Ståle Solbakken surprisingly withdrew Haaland during extra time, leaving the Scandinavian side without their biggest attacking threat as they chased an equaliser.
The victory continues Bellingham’s remarkable World Cup campaign. The 23-year-old has now scored six non-penalty goals at the tournament, equalling Gary Lineker’s England record from the 1986 World Cup. He also became the first player since Diego Maradona in 1986 to score two or more goals in consecutive World Cup knockout matches.
England also achieved another significant milestone by becoming the first team to prevent Haaland from scoring in a competitive international since October 2024, ending a remarkable goalscoring streak that had lasted 636 days.
There were personal landmarks for two of England’s senior stars. Jordan Pickford made his 18th World Cup appearance, the most by any England player, while captain Harry Kane earned his 120th international cap to move level with Wayne Rooney on the country’s all-time appearances list.
The performance may not have been England’s most fluent of the tournament, but Bellingham’s brilliance once again proved decisive. With momentum building and confidence growing, the Three Lions are now just one victory away from reaching another World Cup final as they prepare for a heavyweight semi-final against either Argentina or Switzerland.
