“A place in the semi-finals is earned through resilience as much as talent”
England earned a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-finals after beating Norway 2-1 in an exciting quarter-final that went to extra time.
Norway started brightly and took the lead in the 36th minute through Andreas Schjelderup. England responded just before half-time when Jude Bellingham scored in stoppage time to level the match at 1-1.
Both teams created good chances after the break. Norway believed they had scored again, but VAR disallowed the goal after spotting a foul in the build-up. Neither side could find a winner in normal time, so the match moved into extra time.
Bellingham made the difference just three minutes into the extra period. He reacted first to a loose ball and fired England into the lead with his second goal of the match. England stayed composed in the closing stages and held off Norway’s late pressure to secure the victory.
The Three Lions will now face Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals. Bellingham’s match-winning display also strengthened his reputation as one of the tournament’s standout players.