​Jude Bellingham continued his phenomenal World Cup form for England, delivering the decisive moment in their 2-1 quarterfinal win over Norway with his second goal of the match. After a goalless 90 minutes, extra time was required, and just three minutes into the extra period Bellingham seized on a loose ball rebound off a Morgan Rogers shot to propel the Three Lions into a lead they would not relinquish. Across the tournament, three of Bellingham’s strikes have earned England leads that ultimately stood as the winning margin, highlighting his clutch impact. With six goals in the competition, Bellingham joins Gary Lineker (1986) and Harry Kane (2018, 2026) as one of England’s few players to reach at least five goals in a single men’s World Cup, underscoring his pivotal role in England’s deep run this year.
Following the hydration break in the first half, Norway emerged with renewed intent, opting to press England higher and force the pace rather than sit back and invite pressure. The strategy paid off in the 36th minute when Andreas Schjelderup, starting in place of Antonio Nusa, delivered a superb strike from the left side of the England box over Jordan Pickford to give Norway the lead. England showed resilience, restoring parity before the break. A well-constructed move began with Anthony Gordon’s pass across the Norway penalty area, finding Bellingham who controlled the ball with three deft touches before firing beyond goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland to draw England level just before halftime.
Yet controversy shadowed Bellingham’s equalizer. At halftime, a sky-cam malfunction during Nyland’s goal kick prompted a data check; FIFA reported that no peak on the connected ball heartbeat sensor data was detected, suggesting no abnormal contact that would confirm a wind-assisted or abnormal bounce. The goal stood initially, but in the second half Norway believed they had equalized again, only for a VAR review to overturn the strike after it became clear that Erling Haaland had pushed Elliott Anderson before Martin Ødegaard’s corner delivery, nullifying the effort. Referee Clément Turpin’s monitor check led to the disallowing of Torbjørn Heggem’s potential goal, maintaining England’s one-goal lead.
In extra time, Norway retained more of the ball and produced four attempts, though none found the target as Pickford’s goal remained largely untested. England, by contrast, did well to suppress clearcut chances and, crucially, to neutralize Haaland, who finished the World Cup with seven goals in the Golden Boot race. Haaland was withdrawn in the 106th minute for Jørgen Strand Larsen after recording two shots and 21 touches overall, including five in England’s penalty box.
The victory advances England to the semifinals for the second time in the last three World Cups. Their next test will be against the winner of the Argentina-Switzerland fixture, scheduled for Wednesday in Atlanta, where England will aim to continue their recent strong performances on football’s biggest stage. This result not only keeps England’s World Cup campaign alive but also reinforces Bellingham’s status as a defining talent of his generation, delivering decisive moments when it matters most.