England head coach Thomas Tuchel praised Jude Bellingham as a “world class” player after the midfielder scored both goals in a 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway, propelling the Three Lions into the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The match, played in Florida, saw Bellingham equalise in first-half stoppage time and net the winner in extra time, earning him the Player of the Match award.
Tuchel’s praise and call for improvement
“Enough said, he does it every match. World class,” Tuchel told ITV, as quoted by Sky Sports. Despite the win, Tuchel stressed that England must improve ahead of the semifinal. “We will get better, we need to get better. Now it's celebrations. Now it's taking it all in. We need everything to make a better performance,” he said.
Match details: England’s comeback
Norway took the lead in the 36th minute through Andreas Schjelderup, who finished clinically after Erling Haaland had tested goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Bellingham equalised just before halftime, surging forward and slotting home. Harry Kane had a goal ruled out for offside shortly after.
Norway thought they had regained the lead when Torbjorn Heggem scored, but a VAR review penalised Haaland for a foul on Elliot Anderson in the build-up. Kristoffer Ajer hit the crossbar for Norway, while Djed Spence came close for England after a mistake by goalkeeper Orjan Nyland. The match went to extra time.
In extra time, Bellingham reacted quickest after Nyland spilled a powerful effort from substitute Morgan Rogers, scoring from close range to seal the win.
Historic milestones
Bellingham and captain Harry Kane have each scored six goals at the 2026 World Cup, marking the first time two England players have netted at least five goals in a single edition of the tournament. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made his 18th FIFA World Cup appearance, becoming England’s most-capped goalkeeper in World Cup history, surpassing Peter Shilton’s record of 17 matches.
Norway’s campaign ends
For Norway, the defeat ended a memorable campaign that included their first-ever World Cup quarterfinal appearance. Their previous best performances were Round of 16 finishes in 1938 and 1998, along with a group-stage appearance in 1994.
Semifinal opponent
England will face either defending champions Argentina or Switzerland in the semifinals at Atlanta Stadium on July 15.
