​MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — The Three Lions remain alive in the World Cup after outlasting Erling Haaland and Norway on a humid, sticky night in South Florida. England defeated Norway 2-1 after extra time, ending the Scandinavian side’s run through the tournament and their best-ever showing in a men’s World Cup. With the win, England, who have not lifted the trophy since 1966, advance to face the winner of Switzerland and Argentina in the semifinals.
The conditions played a significant role, as 90-degree heat and heavy humidity barely eased as the game wore on. The moment also signaled the end of Haaland’s World Cup, a tournament that turned him into a U.S. celebrity of sorts. His prolific goal-scoring, social media presence, and embrace of American culture helped him gain 20 million Instagram followers during the event, bringing his total to about 61 million.
England arrived at the quarterfinals coming off a high-intensity win over Mexico at Estadio Azteca, while Norway had knocked off Brazil in New Jersey. With more than two hours to kickoff, England supporters had already covered the section behind the goal with flags, and by kickoff time the front railing of the upper concourse was lined with banners. The stadium’s exterior teal, originally installed for the Miami Dolphins, gradually gave way to sea of red and white reflecting the colors of the competing teams.
The match opened with a somber moment of silence for Jayden Adams, a 25-year-old Bafana Bafana midfielder who had debuted at the World Cup earlier in the tournament and was found dead over the weekend.
In the 36th minute, Andreas Schjelderup fired the ball into the net and celebrated with Jude Bellingham’s “Are You Not Entertained?” pose. But Bellingham, seemingly unfazed or perhaps unimpressed, answered with a stoppage-time equalizer to level the score before halftime. At one point in the broadcast, Fox highlighted that Norway’s goal kick just before Bellingham’s strike appeared to clip a camera cable; VAR officials and pundits debated whether that should have been flagged as a drop ball. Still, the goal stood, and play continued. FIFA later stated that a ball sensor showed no change indicating contact with a cable.
The second half produced no more goals, though VAR did overturn a Norwegian tally after judging a foul by Haaland. French referee Jérôme Brisard served as the video assistant referee for the match, a role he has also held for other high-profile World Cup ties where VAR influenced the outcome, including the Argentina–Egypt game.
As extra time began, Bellingham again found the net, giving England the lead they would not relinquish. Haaland, who had not found his usual rhythm in front of goal, was substituted at the interval between the two extra-time periods. After the final whistle, England players joined in a celebratory moment, linking arms and singing a rendition of “Wonderwall” in a moment of shared triumph as they looked ahead to the semifinals.