Jude Bellingham dragged England to a World Cup semi‑final for the fourth time in their history – but the triumph came wrapped in the kind of performance that left manager Thomas Tuchel fuming and captain Harry Kane promising far more is to come.
Bellingham’s extra‑time winner against Norway in Miami on Saturday sealed a 2‑1 victory, after he had earlier equalised with a brilliant strike in the first half. The result means England will face Argentina on Wednesday in Atlanta (20:00 BST, live on BBC One and iPlayer), with a place in the final – a feat they have not achieved since winning the tournament in 1966 – at stake.
“England beat Norway 2-1 in extra time to reach World Cup semi-finals; Tuchel slams 'sloppy' display, Kane admits room to improve.”
Yet Tuchel was unsparing in his assessment afterwards. He said the team “got lucky”, were “sloppy”, made “a lot of technical mistakes” and were “not fast enough, not repetitive enough”. The German had watched his side struggle in the searing heat and humidity, needing a late equaliser and extra time to overcome a Norway side making their first World Cup quarter‑final appearance.
England captain Harry Kane, who has scored six goals in the tournament alongside Bellingham, immediately defended his manager’s outburst. “When he sees us train … he just wants to see that version of us,” said the 32‑year‑old striker. “He knows as much as anyone that it’s not as simple as that. He’s trying to drag it out of us and we know ourselves we have another level we can reach. We haven’t seen that yet, we’ve shown it in glimpses.”
Bellingham, however, pushed back. “It’s difficult out there, it’s a tough shift,” he said after the match. “Maybe he doesn’t know what it’s like to play in those conditions against Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard, Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sørloth.” Norway shaded the second half of normal time, and England gasped as they survived. But Bellingham struck again early in extra time after a spill by Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Håskjold Nyland, taking his goal tally to six – joint‑top with Kane – and putting himself in contention for the Golden Boot and player of the tournament.
Declan Rice had been “in bed for nearly three days” before the game, Tuchel revealed, further explaining the ragged performance. Only Marcus Rashford has scored England’s other goals in the tournament. The team have yet to produce the “full control” Kane craves. “The most pleasing thing is we are in a semi-final and we can still feel like we can improve,” he said. Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, await in an air‑conditioned stadium in Atlanta – a contest steeped in World Cup history: “Animals”, the Hand of God, David Beckham’s red card. England will need more than glimpses if they are to finally win the World Cup again.