By Peter Smith, Senior Football Journalist @psmithXI- Jude Bellingham scored twice against Norway to help England into the World Cup semi-finals; Bellingham is now level with Harry Kane as England’s top scorer in the tournament with six goals in total. England have had heroes before – but Jude Bellingham is a special one. (Photo: England Kane, Stone and Bellingham).

He was the game-changer for England again in Miami, producing an excellent equaliser against Norway before pouncing in extra-time to send his side into the World Cup semi-finals. It came just five days on from his double in Mexico. Diego Maradona was the last player to hit braces in back-to-back World Cup knockout games. Now, Bellingham is carving out his own legendary status.

When England have needed him, Bellingham has stepped up and delivered at this World Cup. Five of his six goals this summer have either levelled the match or put England in front. “I’ve seen Paul Gascoigne go to a tournament and rip it up, Michael Owen do the same, Wayne Rooney did it in 2004,” said Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville on ITV. “But I’ve never seen a player have an impact on the tournament in the way Jude Bellingham is.

“This is very special, what we’re watching. An absolute superstar. He’s giving everything and more out there for England.” To think there had been debate before the World Cup about whether Bellingham should be in the team. To think he had been left out of an England squad in October.

The 23-year-old played 111 minutes in Florida and finished the quarter-final with more shots, duels won, and fouls won than any player on the pitch. In the decisive moments, Bellingham came out on top and edged things England’s way in a match which could so easily have gone against them.

Harry Kane has shared the load with Bellingham at this World Cup. Between them, they have scored 12 of England’s 13 goals. But with the England captain struggling to have an impact against Norway, it was Bellingham who came up with the clinical strike and the poacher’s finish. Bellingham is relishing the big stage – and now he has a World Cup semi-final to shine in. (Photo: Julian Alvarez).

Bellingham’s spiky response to Tuchel criticism: Whatever! England boss Thomas Tuchel was critical of the team’s overall performance against Norway – and Bellingham delivered a spiky response when he was told about the manager’s verdict. “We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today,” Tuchel told ITV. “The result is fantastic, we’re in the last four. It’s amazing. I’m not happy with the performance.”

Bellingham, who had been praising the work ethic of his teammates, said: “Yeah, well. Whatever. Whatever. “It’s difficult out there. It’s a tough shift. All the players are putting in a tough shift. So my thoughts and appreciation go to the players who put in a good shift out there.” Neville enjoyed the comments of both men. “I love both interviews,” he told ITV. 

“Thomas Tuchel was fantastic. Jude Bellingham’s response was absolutely brilliant. What you’ve seen in those two interviews are massive egos, world-class players and managers. You have to be exceptional to do what those two have done. What we’ve seen there is very good for England.”

Haaland Throws Support Behind England after Norway’s World Cup Loss

Erling Haaland says he is now supporting England after they knocked Norway out of the World Cup, and was full of praise for “incredible” Bellingham. It was Haaland’s former Borussia Dortmund team-mate Bellingham who was the star of the show, scoring two goals to turn the tie around.

“Jude is a good friend. We had two great years at Dortmund,” he said. “We are good friends, and he is such a nice guy. I am not surprised that he is scoring today and performing the way he is. The only thing is that he gets a bit too much criticism sometimes for not scoring enough goals. I think that is undeserved. He still scores goals and dribbles everyone on the pitch. (Photo: Switzerland given a red card against Argentina).

“He is incredible, and England are lucky because everyone wants a player like that.” Haaland was famously born in Leeds while his dad Alf played for the Yorkshire club, and with several City teammates in the England squad, he is rooting for them. Yes, why not? I have some city friends in England,” he said. “Of course, I want them to do well. I got an England shirt before I got a Norway shirt when I was little.” Courtesy: Sky Sports.

World Cup 2026: Argentina 3-1 Switzerland (AET): Julian Alvarez Scores Stunner to Set Up Blockbuster Semi-Final vs England

By Dan Long, Football Journalist @DanLong

Match report from the 2026 World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and Switzerland in Kansas City; goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez book a blockbuster semi-final clash with England. Julian Alvarez scored an extra-time stunner as Argentina beat 10-man Switzerland 3-1 and set up a mouth-watering World Cup semi-final clash with England.

Lionel Messi and Co will face the Three Lions in Atlanta on Wednesday at 8 pm UK time, with a place in the final against either France or Spain on the line. It will be the first competitive meeting between the nations in 24 years. Despite Switzerland’s positive start in Kansas City, they only had themselves to blame when they fell behind inside 10 minutes.

Alexis Mac Allister was twice left unmarked at a corner – and the second time he punished them, by guiding in a header after being picked out by Messi. Breel Embolo had the Swiss’ most promising chance of the first half, but a combination of Lisandro and Emi Martinez stopped him from getting a shot away from just inside the box. He had a huge chance to level shortly after the restart, too, but a world-class block from Lisandro Martinez denied him.

Dan Ndoye and Granit Xhaka then forced saves from the Argentina goalkeeper after a spell of sustained pressure, which finally paid off when the former linked up superbly with Ricardo Rodriguez and fired home from a tight angle to level the game. The Swiss elation was short-lived. Five minutes after the equaliser, Leandro Paredes was booked for a foul on Embolo – but under the new mistaken identity rule, the VAR recommended a review and referee Joao Pinheiro instead showed Embolo a second yellow card for simulation.

Messi and Mac Allister both had chances to win it for Argentina before the final whistle, but they could not find a way to prevent extra time. Though Switzerland did manage to hold the reigning world champions at bay for the first 15 minutes, Julian Alvarez’s beautiful strike from 25 yards, into the top right corner, took the wind from their sails. Lautaro Martinez added the gloss in the dying embers, and by then, the Swiss race was run.

The Key Moments from Kansas City

• 10: GOAL! Messi delivers Argentina’s second corner in quick succession and finds Alexis Mac Allister, who heads in unmarked.
• 32: BIG CHANCE! Switzerland’s Breel Embolo is sent clear, but Lisandro Martinez and Emi Martinez combine to stop him from getting a shot away.
• 43: WASTEFUL! Remo Freuler stands over a free-kick in a promising position on the left, but goes for glory despite four men waiting in the box and misses the target by some distance.
• 50: BLOCK! Incredible from Lisandro Martinez, who recovers to deny an Embolo a certain goal.
• 67: GOAL! Dan Ndoye plays a neat one-two with Ricardo Rodriguez and fires underneath Emi Martinez from a tight angle.
• 72: RED CARD! Embolo is shown a second yellow card for simulation under the new mistaken identity rules.
• 89: CHANCE! Mac Allister meets a Nico Gonzalez cross, but heads over from six yards.
• 112: GOAL! Julian Alvarez scores a stunner to restore Argentina’s lead.
• 120+1: GOAL! Lautaro Martinez adds the gloss late on after Thiago Almada’s initial shot is kept out. (Photo: Kylian Mbappé).

Argentina have been Taken to Extra Time Twice – Will that Affect Them vs England?

Sky Sports’ Dan Long

In facing the reigning world champions, Switzerland were always going to be up against it in their quest to reach a first-ever World Cup semi-final. But they certainly made it difficult for Lionel Scaloni’s side. The Swiss were deserving of their equaliser and might have even forced a winner, had Breel Embolo not been sent off.

He was inconsolable when he was given his marching orders, and for good reason. His dismissal changed the game. Once extra time was confirmed, they were content to sit back and try to force the lottery of penalties. Unfortunately for them, that’s when Argentina came to life. But England will probably have been happy to see their next opponents pushed all the way.

It’s the second time in three games that they have been taken to extra time. Had Enzo Fernandez not scored a 93rd-minute winner against Egypt in the last-16, it could have been three from three. Whether that affects Argentina in the semi-finals is up for debate, of course, but with England having played an extra 30 minutes against Norway, at least the playing field will be level on Wednesday night in Atlanta. Courtesy: Sky Sports.