Bellingham double sends England into World Cup semi-finals
Jude Bellingham's two goals secured a 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway, putting England one win away from a first World Cup final since 1966 despite lingering tactical concerns.
England have advanced to the World Cup semi-finals after a 2-1 extra-time defeat of Norway. Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham scored both goals to decide the quarter-final match, which was played in severe heat across the United States. England will now face Argentina in the last four.
Bellingham's performance continues a remarkable tournament for the 23-year-old, who now has 50 caps for his country. His six goals at this World Cup put him alongside Gary Lineker and Harry Kane as the only English players to score at least five times in a single edition. Furthermore, he is the first player to score in consecutive knockout games at a single World Cup since Diego Maradona in 1986.
The significance of Bellingham's output was highlighted by former England international Paul Merson. "Teams win leagues. X-factor wins tournaments," Merson said.
"We have an X-factor player in Jude Bellingham, and also Harry Kane. We have X-factor in abundance with those two. When you have players like that, you always have a chance of winning tournaments."
Merson pointed to Bellingham's movement for the second goal against Norway, where he darted inside and then back outside to reach the rebound. Nine of Bellingham's 12 international goals have now come at major tournaments. This consistent delivery on the biggest stage is why Merson considers the midfielder well on his way to becoming an England great.
Despite the victory, manager Thomas Tuchel was visibly unhappy with the overall display. The conditions in America were brutally hot, but Tuchel recognised that his players were making basic errors. As the fourth-ranked team in the world, reaching the semi-finals fulfils the minimum expectation, but the manager demands a higher standard going forward.
That standard will need to improve significantly if England are to lift the trophy for the first time since 1966. "He knows that if England play like that, not so much against Argentina, but against France or Spain, we'd get blown away," Merson warned. "I personally didn't think I'd see England win a World Cup in my lifetime, but we are getting closer and closer."
