World Cup 2026: Jude Bellingham as England hero again as Three Lions beat Norway to reach semi-finals | football news

England have had heroes before – but Jude Bellingham is special.

He was a game-changer for England again in Miami, scoring a superb equalizer against Norway before pouncing in extra-time to send his side into the World Cup semi-finals.

It came just five days after his double in Mexico. Diego Maradona was the last player to hit back-to-back braces in World Cup knockout games. Now Bellingham is building his own legendary status.

When England needed him, Bellingham stepped up and delivered in this World Cup. Five of his six goals this summer either tied the match or put England ahead.

“I’ve seen Paul Gascoigne go into a tournament and tear it up, Michael Owen did the same, Wayne Rooney did it in 2004,” said Sky Sports Rev. Gary Neville on ITV.

“But I’ve never seen a player impact the tournament like Jude Bellingham.

“It’s very special, what we’re seeing. An absolute superstar. He’s giving everything and more for England.”

There was a debate before the World Cup about whether Bellingham should be kept in the squad. He appears to have been left out of the England squad in October.

The 23-year-old played 111 minutes in Florida and finished the quarter-finals with more shots, duels won and fouls than any player on the pitch. Bellingham came out on top at the decisive moment and lent England their way in a match that could easily have gone against them.

Harry Kane has shared the load with Bellingham in this World Cup. Among them, they scored 12 of England’s 13 goals. But with the England captain struggling to make an impact against Norway, it was Bellingham who came up with the clinical strike and poacher’s finish.

Bellingham is enjoying the big stage – and now has a World Cup semi-final ahead of him.

Bellingham’s spiky response to Tuchel’s criticism: Whatever!

England boss Thomas Tuchel was critical of the team’s overall performance Bellingham provided a scathing response when he was told about the manager’s judgment – against Norway.

“We made life very difficult for ourselves today,” Tuchel said ITV. “The result is great, we’re in the last four. It’s amazing. I’m not happy with the performance.”

Bellingham, who praised his teammates’ work ethic, said: “Yeah, good. Whatever.

“It’s tough out there. It’s a tough shift. All the players put in a tough shift. So my thoughts and kudos to the players who had a good shift out there.”

Neville enjoyed the comments from both men. “I like both interviews,” he said ITV. “Thomas Tuchel was fantastic. Jude Bellingham’s reaction was absolutely brilliant.

“What you saw in those two interviews was huge arrogance, world-class players and managers. You have to be exceptional to do what these two have done. What we saw there is very good for England.”

Haaland has thrown his support behind England after Norway’s World Cup defeat

Erling Haaland says he is now backing England after knocking Norway out of the World Cup and is full of praise for the “incredible” Bellingham.

Haaland’s former Borussia Dortmund team-mate Bellingham was the star of the show, scoring twice to turn the tie around.

“Judd is a good friend. We had two great years at Dortmund,” he said. “We’re good friends and he’s a great guy.

“I am not surprised that he is scoring today and performing the way he is.

“The only thing is that he sometimes gets a bit too much criticism for not scoring enough goals. I think it’s undeserved.

“He still scores goals and dribbles everyone on the pitch. He’s incredible and England are lucky because everyone wants a player like that.”

Haaland was famously born in Leeds while his father Alf played for the Yorkshire club and, along with several of his City teammates in the England squad, he was rooting for them.

“Yeah, why not. I’ve got some city friends in England,” she said.

“Of course, I want them to do well. When I was younger I got an England shirt before I got a Norway shirt.”