Bellingham leads England's World Cup stats after knockout heroics

Jude Bellingham has scored twice in successive World Cup knockout games and leads England for goals, goal involvements, big chances, take-ons, sprints and runs in behind ahead of the semi-final against Argentina.

Jude Bellingham fever grips the nation after the Real Madrid midfielder scored two goals - for the second game running - in England's 2-1 win over Norway.

Gary Neville says Bellingham's performances have given him goosebumps and have been "game-changing", carrying England into the semi-finals "almost single-handedly with the support of Harry Kane".

The 23-year-old is the top-scoring midfielder at the tournament with six goals; only forwards Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland have scored more - no midfielder has ever scored more at a World Cup.

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He's the youngest European to appear at four men's major tournaments, the second-youngest player after Pele to score twice in back-to-back World Cup knockout games, and is now level with Alan Shearer among England's major-tournament greats.

In addition to being England's joint-top scorer at the tournament alongside Harry Kane, Bellingham ranks top among England players across a raft of attacking metrics.

But the data also underlines his off-ball influence. Bellingham leads England for total available offers for passes, sprints, runs into the attacking third and runs in behind.

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Opta still tips England to reach the final, albeit by a razor-thin 50.9 per cent to 49.1 per cent margin against Argentina. Bellingham has already knocked out Norway - and with them Haaland as a Golden Boot rival. Now, alongside Kane, he sits two goals behind Mbappe and Messi, who also remain in the tournament.

Can England produce their greatest sporting achievement since 1966? With Bellingham in this form, England's 60-year wait suddenly feels a little less impossible.