England reach 2026 World Cup semi-finals as Bellingham double sinks Norway

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England's run to the last four is part of the 2026 World Cup, being played in North America, and follows a knockout format in which any match level after normal time goes to extra time to decide a winner. Jude Bellingham, the England midfielder who scored both goals in the win over Norway, has become a central figure in the team's campaign and is now being talked about alongside some of the tournament's most prolific scorers. England's opponents in the semi-final will be Argentina, one of the traditional powerhouses of international football.

Behind the result, there is an added layer of tension involving England's manager, Thomas Tuchel, a German coach who took charge of the national team, and his relationship with his players and press duties. Norway's forward Erling Haaland, one of the world's most prominent strikers, was substituted late in the match while his side still needed to score, a decision that became a talking point among pundits and was addressed publicly by his father, Alfie Haaland, a former professional footballer himself.

Matches like this carry weight because reaching a World Cup semi-final is a rare achievement, and decisions on the pitch, such as whether a goal should have counted, can shape how a team's campaign and a manager's tenure are remembered.