England beats Norway 2-1 behind two Bellingham goals to reach semifinals

England reached the World Cup semifinals on Saturday, 11 July 2026, securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Norway at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. In a match defined by tactical attrition and the clinical efficiency of Jude Bellingham, the Three Lions overcame a deficit and sweltering conditions to extend their tournament run.

The encounter, played before a sellout crowd of 64,478, saw England struggle early to break down a disciplined Norwegian side. Norway, appearing in their first quarterfinal in 28 years, drew first blood in the 36th minute. Andreas Schjelderup sent an angled strike that evaded goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and clipped the post, giving Norway a 1-0 lead.

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England responded before the interval. In stoppage time, Anthony Gordon delivered a pass to Jude Bellingham on the edge of the box. Bellingham dribbled around Torbjørn Heggem and rifled a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

The second half proved contentious as both sides navigated the extreme 91-degree heat. Norway appeared to retake the lead in the 55th minute through Torbjørn Heggem, but the goal was overturned following a VAR review that identified a push by Erling Haaland on England’s Elliot Anderson. Later, a potential penalty for England involving Djed Spence was also reviewed and overruled.

Extra time brought a swift resolution. Just three minutes into the additional period, Morgan Rogers fired a long-range effort that Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland spilled into the path of an advancing Bellingham. The Real Madrid midfielder converted the rebound to seal the 2-1 result. This was Bellingham's sixth goal of the 2026 tournament.

The match was characterized by a physical defensive effort from England, particularly in limiting the influence of Erling Haaland, who was substituted in the 105th minute for Jørgen Strand Larsen after being kept off the scoresheet. England manager Thomas Tuchel expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s overall tactical performance despite the result. Tuchel told ITV:

"We made life very very difficult for ourselves today. The result is fantastic, we’re in the last four but I’m not happy with the performance."

Thomas Tuchel, England Manager, via ITV

Tuchel further noted during the exchange: Mentality? This is pure mentality now. How can you talk about mentality now? This is pure mentality. It’s not a mentality problem. You can bottle it up and sell it. Why are you talking about mentality? (The problem is) the quality of our game. It’s about quality. We need to play better.

Conversely, Bellingham defended the collective effort during his post-match interview:

"All the players have put in a very tough shift. So my thoughts and appreciation goes to the players who are out there who put in a great shift yet again. It’s character and perseverance. Even when things weren’t working, we found a way to win the game again."

Jude Bellingham, England Midfielder, via ITV

Following the conclusion of the match, England players and fans celebrated on the field with team anthems, including renditions of "Wonderwall" and "Hey Jude." The victory sets up a semifinal clash on Wednesday, 15 July 2026, in Atlanta against the winner of the quarterfinal between Argentina and Switzerland.

For Norway, the match ends a historic run that saw the team earn victories over nations including Brazil to re-establish the country as a significant force in international football.