England are into the World Cup semi-final after Jude Bellingham scored twice in a 2-1 comeback win over Norway, turning a quarter-final that was slipping away into a place in the last four. For a team that had been under pressure in the first half, Bellingham delivered the goals that changed the match and sent England on.
That is why searches for David Beckham Children are landing on this game today: England's knockout run has reached its biggest stage yet, and Bellingham is again the name driving it. He said the players had put in a tough shift, and he sounded drained by the work it took to drag England through after Norway carried so much momentum before the break.
Bellingham's first goal came in the first half, and his second arrived in extra time, giving England the kind of late edge that settles quarter-finals. The match also answered the key question hanging over the result: England recovered not by taking control for long spells, but by staying alive long enough for Bellingham to decide it. That is what made the comeback possible after Norway had the stronger start.
Thomas Tuchel was still not satisfied. He called the result fantastic and said England were in the last four, but he also said the performance was not good enough. He said England made life very, very difficult for themselves, described the play as sloppy and too slow, and went as far as saying they were lucky today. Wayne Rooney was even blunter, saying England lacked quality, speed and tempo, while Ellen White said the team kept relying on one player to get them out of trouble.
That criticism matters because it cuts through the celebration. England have the result they needed, but they do not have the sort of complete performance that usually carries a side all the way through a World Cup. The next step is already fixed: England will face Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-final, with one of those two awaiting in the last four.
