Jude Bellingham delivered when England needed him most. The Real Madrid midfielder scored twice, including a dramatic extra-time winner, to lead the Three Lions to a thrilling 2-1 victory over Norway and secure a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinals for the first time since 2018.
Bellingham’s decisive goal came in the third minute of extra time, capping another standout performance from one of the tournament’s brightest stars. The 22-year-old had already rescued England before halftime with the equalizer after Norway stunned the favorites with the opening goal.
With his two-goal performance, Bellingham now has six goals in the tournament, tying teammate Harry Kane in England’s scoring race. Only France’s Kylian Mbappé (eight goals) and Argentina’s Lionel Messi (eight goals) have scored more during this World Cup.
Norway, making a memorable run to its first-ever World Cup quarterfinal, struck first in the 36th minute through Andreas Schjelderup. The young forward finished off a precise attack to silence the English supporters after Norway had absorbed long stretches of pressure.
Despite controlling possession for much of the match, England struggled to break down Norway’s disciplined defense until Bellingham found the back of the net just before halftime, igniting the crowd and shifting the momentum.
Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland, who entered the match with seven tournament goals, was held scoreless for the first time in the competition. The Manchester City striker came close on several occasions, including a point-blank header brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. He was also involved in a controversial sequence early in the second half when Norway appeared to take a 2-1 lead, only for the goal to be overturned following a VAR review that ruled Haaland had committed a foul inside the penalty area.
The match featured another unusual moment shortly before England’s equalizer, when the ball appeared to glance off an aerial camera cable before falling to England’s Elliot Anderson during the buildup. Play continued, allowing the attack to develop before Bellingham finished with a composed strike into the far corner.
England’s victory keeps alive its hopes of winning a first World Cup title since its historic triumph in 1966. The Three Lions will now face the winner of the quarterfinal between Argentina and Switzerland for a place in the championship match.
Before kickoff, players and fans observed a moment of silence in memory of South African midfielder Jayden Adams, whose passing at the age of 25 was announced earlier on Saturday.
With Bellingham in sensational form and England just one victory away from another World Cup final, Gareth Southgate’s squad continues to build momentum at exactly the right time.
