England has secured a spot in the World Cup semifinals, where they will face Argentina, following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Norway after extra time. The match, held in Miami, saw Jude Bellingham emerge as the decisive player with two goals.
Norway took an early lead in the first half through Andreas Schjelderup, whose shot from what appeared to be a cross found the top corner. Bellingham equalized for England before halftime. The game remained tied into extra time, where Bellingham scored the winning goal just three minutes into the additional period. England's defense, notably Dan Burn, played a significant role in securing the win.
A controversy arose regarding Bellingham's opening goal, with Norway suggesting the ball may have struck a SPIDERCAM wire before entering the net. FIFA has denied this, but the incident fueled debate. England manager Thomas Tuchel commented that the team was "lucky" and "made life difficult," a sentiment Bellingham countered by referencing the challenge of playing against Norway's squad.
Argentina also advanced to the semifinals after a 3-1 extra-time win against a resilient 10-man Switzerland. Alexis Mac Allister scored the opener for Argentina, but Dan Ndoye equalized for Switzerland in the 67th minute. Switzerland's striker Breel Donald Embolo received a second yellow card for simulation, resulting in his dismissal.
In the second half of extra time, Julian Alvarez scored a long-range goal in the 112th minute, and Lautaro Martinez sealed the victory with a counter-attack goal in the 121st minute. This marks Argentina's third consecutive knockout game decided after 90 minutes, having previously won against Cape Verde and Egypt in extra time and after a late comeback, respectively.
Bellingham's performance places him in elite company statistically. At 23 years and 12 days old, he is the second-youngest player to score two or more goals in successive World Cup knockout stage matches, surpassed only by Pelé in 1958. Bellingham has now scored seven World Cup goals before the age of 23, matching Pelé's tally at that age, and trailing only Kylian Mbappé among players younger than 23.
The tournament will now have a two-day break before the semifinals commence. France will play Spain on Tuesday, followed by England's match against Argentina on Wednesday.
Celebrities were in attendance at the quarterfinal matches. For England's game, notable figures included David Beckham, John Terry, Ashley Cole, World Cup winners Cafu, Kaka, and Alessandro Del Piero, as well as musician Mick Jagger and TV presenter Maya Jama. NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes was seen supporting Argentina in Kansas City.
An image shared from the match in Miami showed England players and fans celebrating their victory by singing Oasis' song "Wonderwall." Another moment captured was a humorous interaction between Bellingham and Norway's Erling Haaland, former Dortmund teammates, during a stoppage in play.
Erling Haaland has garnered significant attention in the United States during the tournament, with his social media following increasing substantially. His public persona and comments about Americans have reportedly resonated with the U.S. audience, making him a notable figure beyond his football performance.