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

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

Developed over time first seen 1 month ago

· 1 month ago

Norway
Norway
1
FIFA WC26
1-2
Finished
England
England
2

Key moments
  1. 36'

    Goal
    Andreas SCHJELDERUP (Norway) scores!!
  2. 45'+2'

    Goal
    Jude BELLINGHAM (England) scores!!
  3. 93'

    Goal
    Jude BELLINGHAM (England) scores!!
  4. 117'

    Yellow card
    Kristoffer AJER (Norway) is booked by
Squads
Norway squad
  • Selected
  • 1 Orjan NYLAND
    Goalkeeper
  • 3 Kristoffer AJER
    Defender
  • 5 David MOLLER WOLFE
    Defender
  • 6 Patrick BERG
    Midfielder
  • 7 Alexander SORLOTH
    Forward
  • 8 Sander BERGE
    Midfielder
  • 9 Erling HAALAND
    Forward
  • 10 Martin ODEGAARD
    C Midfielder
  • 17 Torbjorn HEGGEM
    Defender
  • 21 Andreas SCHJELDERUP
    Midfielder
  • 26 Julian RYERSON
    Forward
  • 2 Morten Thorsby
    Midfielder
  • 4 Leo OSTIGARD
    Defender
  • 11 Jorgen STRAND LARSEN
    Forward
  • 12 Sander TANGVIK
    Goalkeeper
  • 13 Egil SELVIK
    Goalkeeper
  • 14 Fredrik AURSNES
    Midfielder
  • 15 Fredrik Andre BJORKAN
    Defender
  • 16 Marcus HOLMGREN PEDERSEN
    Defender
  • 18 Kristian Thorstvedt
    Midfielder
  • 19 Thelo AASGAARD
    Midfielder
  • 20 Antonio NUSA
    Forward
  • 22 Oscar BOBB
    Midfielder
  • 23 Jens Petter HAUGE
    Midfielder
  • 24 Sondre LANGAS
    Defender
  • 25 Henrik FALCHENER
    Defender
England squad
  • Selected
  • 1 Jordan PICKFORD
    Goalkeeper
  • 2 Ezri KONSA
    Defender
  • 3 Nico OREILLY
    Defender
  • 4 Declan RICE
    Midfielder
  • 5 John STONES
    Defender
  • 6 Marc GUEHI
    Defender
  • 8 Elliot ANDERSON
    Midfielder
  • 9 Harry KANE
    C Forward
  • 10 Jude BELLINGHAM
    Midfielder
  • 18 Anthony GORDON
    Forward
  • 20 Noni MADUEKE
    Forward
  • 7 Bukayo SAKA
    Forward
  • 11 Marcus RASHFORD
    Forward
  • 12 Trevoh CHALOBAH
    Defender
  • 13 Dean Henderson
    Goalkeeper
  • 14 Jordan HENDERSON
    Midfielder
  • 15 Dan BURN
    Defender
  • 16 Kobbie MAINOO
    Midfielder
  • 17 Morgan ROGERS
    Midfielder
  • 19 Ollie WATKINS
    Forward
  • 21 Eberechi EZE
    Midfielder
  • 22 Ivan TONEY
    Forward
  • 23 James TRAFFORD
    Goalkeeper
  • 24 Reece JAMES
    Defender
  • 25 Djed SPENCE
    Defender
  • Full squad
  • 26 Jarell QUANSAH
    Defender

England have reached the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup after a 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway in Miami, with Jude Bellingham scoring both goals to settle a tightly contested quarter-final. His equaliser, which cancelled out Norway's lead, drew scrutiny over whether it should have stood, while his extra-time winner secured England's place in the last four. The result sets up a semi-final against Argentina and prompted comparisons between Bellingham and some of the tournament's greatest goalscorers.

The match generated significant debate beyond the pitch. England manager Thomas Tuchel described his side as fortunate in a pointed post-match interview, drawing a public reply from Bellingham himself. Alfie Haaland, father of Norway striker Erling Haaland, criticised the officiating after his son was substituted despite Norway still needing goals to progress, leaving questions over the decisive equaliser as one of the tie's main talking points.

  • Bellingham scores twice as England beat Norway 2-1 after extra time.
  • England will face Argentina in the semi-finals.
  • Contested equaliser and officiating dominated post-match debate.

New here? Start with this

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.

Both sides, in good faith

The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.

The case for

Those satisfied with the outcome argue that Bellingham's equaliser was allowed to stand because match officials, presumably supported by video review, judged it to be legitimate under the laws of the game, and that fine margins are an inherent and accepted part of knockout football. From this view, England's progress reflects genuine quality and resilience, including Bellingham's decisive extra-time strike, and Norway's complaints, however understandable in the immediate disappointment of elimination, should not overshadow a result reached through the proper process.

The case against

Those sympathetic to Norway's grievance argue that a goal so contentious it prompted public scrutiny, an unusually candid admission of fortune from England's own manager, and pointed criticism from within the Haaland family collectively suggest the officiating deserved closer examination given what was at stake. On this view, when a marginal call decides passage to a World Cup semi-final, it is entirely reasonable to ask searching questions about consistency and accuracy in decision-making, rather than treating the final scoreline as settling the matter.

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