Florida knows plenty about fantasies, and there are new stories to tell now. England are yet to wake up from a dream they never want to end.
It was Harry Kane who beckoned his teammates over to the wall of white and red for their latest Oasis rendition at full-time, and yet it had been England’s other favourite holidaymaker, Jude Bellingham, who led those around him through a quarter-final victory over Norway that required coming from behind — and 30 minutes’ extra time — but which keeps alive their American dream.
How did they resummon their hunger and poise to go again and perform again and defend with backs to the wall again and win again after Mexico City? We may never know, and we don’t need to know.
They’re into a semi-final against Argentina or Switzerland, Vikings suitably vanquished in the Miami heat.
Hey Jude, Carry That Weight
Is this Jude Bellingham’s World (Cup) and we’re all living in it? As the weeks roll on by and opponents fall by the wayside, you begin to wonder.
Thomas Tuchel said of Harry Kane on Friday that the England captain is “on the highest peak of his career”. What can be said of England’s elder leader by example can be said of their young playmaker whose performances in this tournament continue to inspire England’s shot at glory.
Bellingham took Anthony Gordon’s pass in so masterfully, rolling the ball past two Norway players and firing through the goalkeeper. It was a goal whose poise and power said everything about what Bellingham is about.
His tenacity? For that, watch his second, the winner, as he closed in and swept home the rebound after his childhood friend Morgan Rogers had a shot from distance spilled. Bellingham mopped up. He always does.
When substituted on 110 minutes for Dan Burn — England’s human baseball bat — the cries resurfaced, cries of “JUUUUDE” that had followed everything he had done right on a night when Tuchel was frustrated by his team’s display but couldn’t possibly have been irked by his No10’s showing.
This had been a World Cup quarter-final won by sheer force of will, chiefly Bellingham’s. “They just wanted it more” is such a cliche in this sport, and almost always not the case. Yet perhaps Bellingham just did. He exhausted himself for the cause.
England thwart Haaland superbly
The battle of world-class strikers, of Erling Haaland versus Harry Kane, had dominated conversation in the lead up to this game and for good reason. Haaland is Norway’s all-time top scorer at 25 years old, had netted in every single one of their competitive internationals since October 2024 — a run cut dead here — and needed neutering. Properly.
Did England block crosses? Though not the one from Andreas Schjelderup which flew in off the post to give Norway the lead, yes they did. Did central midfielders get close to Sander Berge and Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard to disrupt the supply chain into Haaland? Without doubt they did, particularly Elliot Anderson and the substitute Reece James.
England’s back four looked well stocked to thwart the great man Haaland, given it featured three of his Manchester City teammates past or present in left-back Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi and free-agent John Stones know him well from club level.
Except for two weak efforts saved by Jordan Pickford, he was kept quiet, his press and block of a Guehi clearance with only 25 seconds on the clock proving no sign of things to come.
If anything, it was the tricky left winger Antonio Nusa, a substitute, who asked the tougher questions of England, cutting in, showcasing nifty footwork, trying to get Norway back in a game England proved too adept at shutting down, closing out, ending.
Tuchel’s tinkering a success once more
Tuchel made changes at half-time, bringing off Declan Rice and Noni Madueke and replacing them with their Arsenal team-mates Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka. England switched from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-1-4-1 with Anderson now the sole pivot in midfield and altered their pressing structure off the ball as a result.
Torbjorn Heggem scored from a corner but the goal was disallowed for a Haaland shove on his soon-to-be Man City teammate Anderson, and it was a signal of a worsened England. While Eze and Saka came to show bright moments in fits and starts — and in extra time — the change of shape weakened England.
Tuchel and his assistant, Anthony Barry, realised this, and their remedy was to introduce James from the bench. Gordon made may, James went into midfield to ease Anderson’s workload, and Eze moved out onto the left.
James made a nervous start with his first involvement since the Ghana game but was soon looking comfortable again, once Norway had again flexed their horns by striking the crossbar through Kristoffer Ajer.
England regained composure and Tuchel kept rotating his exhausted players, drenched in sweat. On came Djed Spence and Rogers. Their impacts were sizeable, Spence as brave as a lion throughout a sensational cameo.
Bellingham scored. Burn replaced him. The ball entered the England box. It promptly left. England prevailed. On they go, and dream.
