Prince William lauded England as a "special team" after their hard-fought 2-1 victory against Norway, which propelled the Three Lions into the World Cup semi-finals. The Prince of Wales shared his congratulations via X, stating the result was "never in doubt" and extended commiserations to the Norwegian team, who achieved their best-ever World Cup finish. Ecstatic fans celebrated the win, particularly Jude Bellingham's second goal in extra time, which secured England's advancement.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also joined the online celebrations, posting a message directed at Norway's Jonas Gahr Støre. Former Chancellor Sajid Javid echoed the sentiment with his own congratulatory remarks. In fan zones across the country, supporters erupted in cheers, singing football anthems as the final whistle blew.
Fans described the match as "euphoric" and "electrifying." Despite initial doubts creeping in during the match, many expressed belief in the team's courage and heart. One fan noted, "I had hopes but after the first goal went in from them, I started doubting things, but I always believe."
England secured their place in the semi-finals by defeating Norway 2-1. The match saw a dramatic turn of events, including a disallowed goal for England and a Norway goal that was also chalked off after a VAR review. Bellingham drew England level just before halftime with a goal initiated by a cross from Anthony Gordon, following a quickly taken goal kick.
Despite the crucial victory, England manager Thomas Tuchel expressed dissatisfaction with the team's performance, calling them "sloppy" and "lucky" at times. "I am not happy with the performance," Tuchel stated. "We made life very difficult for ourselves. We were sloppy, repetitive. We were lucky today. This is pure mentality. It not a mentality problem, this is pure mentality." He did, however, acknowledge Bellingham's consistent "world-class" contributions.
England is set to face the winner of the Argentina versus Switzerland match in the semi-final on Wednesday at 8 p.m.
