ENGLAND reached their first FIFA World Cup semi-final since 2018 after Jude Bellingham scored a dramatic extra-time winner to complete a 2-1 comeback victory over Norway in a pulsating quarter-final.
The Real Madrid midfielder produced a match-winning display, cancelling out Norway's first-half lead before striking again in the third minute of extra time to send the Three Lions into the last four.
Bellingham's brace takes his tournament tally to six goals, drawing him level with England captain Harry Kane and trailing only France's Kylian Mbappé (eight) and Argentina's Lionel Messi (eight) in the scoring charts.
England, champions in 1966 and under mounting pressure to challenge for another world title, are now one victory away from reaching the World Cup final. They will face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-finals.
According to AP, Norway had taken a surprise lead in the 36th minute when Andreas Schjelderup, making only his second start of the tournament, fired a shot in off the right post after England had controlled much of the early possession. Bellingham restored parity shortly before the interval with a close-range finish.
Norway believed they had regained the lead in the 56th minute when Torbjørn Heggem converted from a corner, but the goal was ruled out following a video review after Erling Haaland was adjudged to have committed a foul inside the penalty area.
Manchester City striker Haaland, who entered the match with seven goals in the tournament, was kept scoreless for the first time at this World Cup. He was also denied by England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford from point-blank range in the first half before being substituted for Jørgen Strand Larsen during extra time.
The contest also featured a controversial moment before England's equaliser when the ball appeared to strike an aerial camera cable following a Norway goal kick before eventually reaching Bellingham. Under the Laws of the Game, play should be stopped and restarted with a dropped ball if the ball contacts such equipment, although the incident went unnoticed by the match officials.
Before kick-off, players and spectators observed a minute's silence in memory of South Africa midfielder Jayden Adams, whose death at the age of 25 was announced earlier on Saturday. - July 12, 2026
