Jude Bellingham scored twice to lead England to a 2-1 comeback victory over Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. The extra-time finish eliminates the Norwegian squad and secures England a spot in Wednesday’s semifinal.
Key Details
- Bellingham netted the equalizer at 45′ and the game-winner in the 93rd minute.
- Norway opened the scoring in the 36th minute via an Andreas Schjelderup strike.
- A 56th-minute Norway goal was wiped out by VAR following an Erling Haaland foul in the box.
- England advances to face either Argentina or Switzerland in Atlanta.
Norway controlled the early tempo and struck first. Andreas Schjelderup capitalized on a mishit cross in the 36th minute, slipping the ball past the English defense to put the underdogs ahead. Pundit Roy Keane publicly slammed England’s opening 45 minutes as “sloppy,” taking aim at a sluggish midfield that struggled to contain Norway’s pressure.
The momentum shifted in first-half stoppage time. Bellingham found the back of the net to equalize, though the sequence immediately sparked outrage on the pitch. Norwegian goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland furiously protested that the ball struck a FIFA sky-cam cable during the build-up before dropping to the English attack. The officials let the play stand, a sequence documented alongside a disallowed VAR goal later in the match when Torbjørn Heggem’s 56th-minute strike was erased due to Haaland fouling Elliot Anderson.
Haaland entered the quarterfinal with seven tournament goals but was held entirely in check by the English backline. He failed to register a goal and was bizarrely substituted out in the 105th minute for Jørgen Strand Larsen, a move confirmed as the final whistle details took shape in extra time.
Bellingham delivered the decisive blow in the 93rd minute on a fast rebound finish. The victory pushes England into their first World Cup semifinal since 2018, while Bellingham’s brace ties him directly with teammate Harry Kane at six goals a piece for the 2026 tournament.