LONDON — England booked their place in the FIFA World Cup semifinals with a 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway, overcoming an early deficit as Jude Bellingham scored twice to send Thomas Tuchel's side into the last four of the tournament.
Norway, appearing in the men's World Cup quarterfinals for the first time, took the lead through Andreas Schjelderup in the first half after capitalizing on a swift attacking move. England responded deep into first-half stoppage time when Bellingham equalized, restoring parity before the interval.
With the teams level after 90 minutes, England struck early in extra time. Bellingham reacted quickest after Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland failed to hold a shot, converting from close range to complete his second consecutive World Cup brace and secure England's passage to the semifinals.
The result marked England's fourth appearance in a men's World Cup semifinal and their first since 2018. It also extended Bellingham's influential run in the knockout stage after he scored twice in England's round-of-16 victory over Mexico.
England created additional chances to extend their lead but were unable to add a third goal, while Norway pressed for a late equalizer without breaking through England's defense. Thomas Tuchel's side managed the closing stages to preserve the advantage and advance.
The victory continued England's progress through the expanded 48-team tournament after navigating a series of tightly contested knockout matches. Norway's campaign ended after its deepest World Cup run, having reached the quarterfinals for the first time.
Speaking after the match, Tuchel praised his team's resilience and composure after conceding first, while England players credited their ability to remain patient under pressure during the demanding conditions in Miami.
England's reward was a semifinal meeting with defending champions Argentina, while Norway exited the competition after a tournament that included several notable performances against higher-ranked opposition.
England's semifinal appearance represented another opportunity to pursue the nation's first men's World Cup title since 1966. The match against Argentina was scheduled for July 15 in Atlanta, with the winner advancing to the World Cup final.
