Bellingham double sinks Norway 2-1 in extra time, England into World Cup semi-finals
The Real Madrid midfielder struck in first-half stoppage time and again in the 93rd minute at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, overturning a spectacular opener from Andreas Schjelderup and a spirited Norwegian performance.
England reached the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup after a 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway in a gripping quarter-final at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Jude Bellingham scored both goals for the Three Lions, cancelling out an early strike from Benfica midfielder Andreas Schjelderup that had threatened to send the Scandinavians through.
Slow burn, then fire
The opening 25 minutes were cagey. England controlled possession but created little against a compact Norwegian defence. The first shot on target arrived only in the 35th minute, when Erling Haaland directed a header at Jordan Pickford. A minute later Norway struck. Schjelderup received the ball on the left and whipped a cross-shot that sailed over Pickford and in off the inside of the far post.
Schjelderup sent the ball into the net with an incredible cross-shot from the left for 1-0 against England.
Alexander Sorloth nearly made it 2-0 in the 39th minute but fired over. England responded deep in added time: slick passing found Bellingham inside the box, and the 23-year-old shrugged off his marker before finishing left-footed while falling to the turf.
Disallowed goals and a goalline escape
Harry Kane thought he had put England ahead on the stroke of half-time, dinking over goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland, but the flag went up for offside. After the break Norway reclaimed the initiative. In the 57th minute, Vegard Heggem bundled in from a corner, only for referee Clément Turpin to disallow the goal after a VAR review spotted a push by Haaland on an English defender.
Heggem scored with a volley from a corner, but the goal did not count via VAR for a questionable foul by Haaland at the start of the phase.
Norway continued to press. Kristoffer Ajer hit the woodwork in the 76th minute with a header, and Haaland's follow-up rolled wide of the post. England also had a penalty shout for Djed Spence overturned by VAR, leaving the sides locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes.
- Haaland forces first save from Pickford with a header.
- Schjelderup scores from a tight angle to give Norway a 1-0 lead.
- Sørloth misses a chance to make it 2-0.
- Bellingham equalises with a left-footed finish while falling.
- Kane goal disallowed for offside.
- Heggem goal disallowed by VAR for a Haaland foul.
- Ajer hits the post; Haaland follow-up misses.
- Bellingham scores the extra-time winner for England.
Bellingham settles it
England looked the fresher side in extra time and needed only three minutes to land the decisive blow. Bellingham latched onto the ball in the Norwegian area and fired past Nyland for his second of the night and sixth of the tournament. The goal took him level with James Rodríguez for the most goals by a midfielder in a single World Cup edition (six), equalled Harry Kane as England's joint top-scorer at the 2026 tournament, and made him the first player since Diego Maradona in 1986 to score two or more goals in consecutive knockout matches. At 23 years and 12 days he became the youngest to achieve that feat since Pelé in 1958.
With his two goals, Bellingham reached six in the 2026 World Cup. He became the first player since Maradona in 1986 to score two-plus goals in consecutive World Cup knockout matches.
What comes next
England advance to the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of a later quarter-final. Norway exit the tournament despite pushing one of the pre-tournament favourites to extra time. For Schjelderup's side, the performance in Miami underlined the progress of a young squad built around Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, but it is Bellingham's tournament that rolls on.
