1 of 5 | England’s Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring a goal against Norway in the first half of a 2026 World Cup quarterfinal Saturday at Miami Stadium. Photo by Christian Brunskill/UPI | License Photo
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla., July 11 (UPI) — Jude Bellingham had a magnetic touch, locking laces onto the ball and slicing through defenders for two clutch scores to carry England past Norway on Saturday for a ticket to a 2026 World Cup semifinal.
The Real Madrid forward helped Three Lions overcome an early 1-0 deficit for the 2-1 extra-time triumph at Miami Stadium.
Three Lions fans among the crowd of more than 64,000 thanked him for his efforts with thunderous vocals, singing the Beatles’ Hey Jude in unison.
“The biggest factor for me is psychological and how you can manage setbacks, how you can manage adversity,” Bellingham told reporters. “This team showed yet again that it can do it and that’s a really valuable skill and trait to have going into this stage of the tournament.”
With the win, the No. 4 Three Lions halted the No. 19 Norwegians’ best run at a World Cup and advanced to the semifinals for the second time in the last three editions of the tournament. There, they will meet defending champion Argentina or Switzerland for a spot in the finale.
The Three Lions, dressed in all white, nearly lulled their deep red clad foes to sleep early on. They played keep-away, using long possessions and a deluge of passes to control pace. Bellingham nearly drew first blood with a header, which went wide in the 19th minute. Striker Harry Kane sailed a free kick over the cross bar 10 minutes later.
Norway’s attack finally surfaced after the first hydration break, penetrating the English defense with several assaults on net. It broke through when Martin Odegaard fed fellow midfielder Andreas Schjelderup on the left side of the box.
Schjelderup faced up with right back Ezri Konsa, darted left and unleashed a 70-mph shot off the right post and into the net in the 36th minute.
But Bellingham revived the Three Lions with an equalizer just before halftime. Norway goalie Orjan Nyland appeared to hit the sky cam with a kick to start that sequence, but referees did not stop play and FIFA ruled that there was no connection. Instead, the ball fell to the Three Lions.
Bellingham then received an entry pass from winger Anthony Gordon. He then dribbled through a crowd of Norwegians and smacked a shot past Nyland’s left leg.
Kane nearly gave England the lead just minutes later, but his goal disallowed due to an offside call.
The Norwegians appeared to go ahead less than 10 minutes into the second act when defender Torbjordn Heggem scored off a follow-up. But that goal also was disallowed when forward Erling Haaland was whistled for a foul.
Neither side found the net again through regulation, prompting extra time. Bellingham gave the Three Lions their first and only lead in the 93rd minute, netting a follow-up past Nyland.
Forward Morgan Rogers fired the initial shot, but Nyland couldn’t hang on. His deflected save fell into the middle of the box for Bellingham, who finished with his first touch.
Norwegian midfielder Oscar Bobb was whistled for a penalty in the box in the 98th minute, but England was denied a penalty kick when that call was overturned.
Goalie Jordan Pickford — who logged three saves — and the Three Lions’ defense proceeded to stifle the Norwegians, who played without Haaland in the second part of extra time, to seal the victory.
Haaland, who appeared exhausted when he left the field in the 106th minute, said he hopes that the Norwegians’ first run to the World Cup quarterfinals inspired young players in his country.
“I think the way we put Norway on the map is one thing that touches me the most,” Haaland said.
England will face Argentina or Switzerland in a semifinal at 3 p.m. EDT Wednesday in Atlanta. Lionel Messi and the No. 3 Argentines were to meet No. 14 Switzerland a quarterfinal at 9 p.m. Saturday in Kansas City.
The Three Lions haven’t advanced to the final since their lone title in 1966. They are 0-2 in semifinal appearances since then.
Top-ranked France will face No. 2 Spain in the first semifinal at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.
Fans celebrate the first United States goal as the United States faces Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the FIFA Fan Zone area located on the National Mall in Washington on July 6, 2026. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
