England midfielder Jude Bellingham has revealed that his mother, Denise, has been instrumental in his on-field discipline during the 2026 World Cup. Bellingham stated that his mother has been consistently advising him throughout the week to monitor his language, tackles, facial expressions, and overall emotions during matches.
This guidance proved crucial in the quarter-final match against Norway, where Bellingham avoided accumulating another yellow card. A second caution would have led to a suspension for the upcoming semi-final. The midfielder acknowledged that his mother's warnings helped him maintain control, stating, "My mum's been telling me all week to watch my language, watch my tackles, watch my face, watch my emotions. So, I think she drilled it into me all week about being careful of that yellow card."
Bellingham, 23, has previously spoken about the significant influence his mother has had on his career. He has referred to her as his "queen" and praised her sense of humor. During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he shared that his mother still made his bed. On another occasion, she assisted him by bringing his forgotten passport when he traveled to Spain with his former club, Borussia Dortmund.
Bellingham scored both goals in England's 2-1 victory over Norway. The win has further cemented the Oasis song 'Wonderwall' as an unofficial anthem for the England team. Following their victories, players have been singing the 1995 Britpop hit back to supporters. Data from Spotify indicates that the track saw a 51% increase in listening figures in the hour after England's latest win, compared to the same period the previous day.
England is set to face Argentina in the semi-finals in Atlanta. Argentina secured their place by defeating Switzerland 3-1 in their quarter-final match, which also went into extra time. Both England and Argentina won their respective quarter-final games on Saturday, with fans from both nations observing the matches together in Miami.