By Francis Onyach - Reporter
Kenya, 12 July 2026 - England booked their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals after a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway in Miami, with Jude Bellingham producing another masterclass by scoring both goals to send the Three Lions into the last four.
In a thrilling quarter-final that lived up to expectations, Norway threatened to spring another major upset after taking the lead through Andreas Schjelderup, but Bellingham once again proved England's saviour. The Real Madrid midfielder struck just before half-time before grabbing the decisive goal early in extra time to eliminate a spirited Norwegian side led by Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard.
Fresh from their stunning Round of 16 victory over Brazil, Norway entered the match full of confidence and matched England throughout an evenly contested opening half.
The breakthrough came in the 36th minute when Andreas Schjelderup capitalised on a loose spell from England. His dangerous delivery from the left evaded everyone before beating Jordan Pickford, handing Ståle Solbakken's side a deserved lead and silencing the England supporters inside Miami Stadium.
Norway continued to trouble England with their aggressive pressing and quick transitions, while Haaland's movement constantly occupied England's central defenders.
Just as Norway appeared set to head into the interval in front, England found their equaliser.
Anthony Gordon's driving run created space for Jude Bellingham, who surged into the penalty area before producing a composed finish beyond Ørjan Nyland in first-half stoppage time.
The equaliser shifted the momentum and breathed new life into Thomas Tuchel's side heading into the second half.
The second half developed into an intense tactical battle.
Norway remained dangerous through Ødegaard's creativity and Haaland's physical presence, while Alexander Sørloth came close to restoring Norway's advantage on several occasions.
England also struggled to create clear-cut opportunities, with Harry Kane enduring one of his quietest performances of the tournament as Norway's disciplined defence limited the England captain's influence.
Despite chances at both ends, neither side could find a winner inside 90 minutes, sending the quarter-final into extra time.
England needed a hero, and once again it was Jude Bellingham.
Only three minutes into extra time, Morgan Rogers' effort caused confusion inside Norway's penalty area, and after goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland failed to deal cleanly with the ball, Bellingham reacted quickest to bundle home his second goal of the night.
The strike completed the comeback and gave England a lead they would not surrender.
Norway threw everything forward during the closing stages.
Haaland thought he had helped create a dramatic equaliser late in extra time, but the goal was ruled out following a foul in the build-up. Moments later, Norway appealed for a penalty, only for the decision to be overturned after VAR review.
England survived the late pressure to secure one of their hardest-fought victories of the tournament.
Much of the pre-match focus centred on Harry Kane and Erling Haaland, two of the world's finest strikers.
Instead, it was Bellingham who stole the spotlight.
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While Kane struggled to impose himself against Norway's organised defence and Haaland was largely contained by Marc Guéhi and John Stones, Bellingham's intelligence, timing and composure proved decisive.
His brace took his tournament tally to six goals, placing him among the leading scorers at the World Cup and further strengthening his case as one of the standout players of the competition.
England manager Thomas Tuchel made several key tactical adjustments as the game progressed.
The introduction of fresh legs and Bellingham's more advanced positioning gave England greater attacking threat after the interval. Morgan Rogers and Bukayo Saka also injected energy from the bench, helping England maintain pressure during extra time.
Although England were far from their fluent best, Tuchel's substitutions ultimately proved decisive.
Norway leave the tournament with their heads held high after an impressive World Cup campaign.
Victories over Ivory Coast and Brazil highlighted the nation's progress under Ståle Solbakken, while Erling Haaland once again demonstrated why he remains among the world's most feared forwards.
Despite the heartbreak of defeat, Norway's run to the quarter-finals marks one of the country's finest performances on football's biggest stage.
England's victory sends the Three Lions into the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of the remaining quarter-final between Argentina and Switzerland.
With Jude Bellingham in outstanding form and Thomas Tuchel guiding the squad through another difficult knockout test, England remain firmly in contention to win a first FIFA World Cup since 1966.
For one unforgettable night in Miami, however, the story belonged to Jude Bellingham, a midfielder whose brilliance overshadowed two of the game's greatest strikers and carried England one step closer to football's ultimate prize.