Jude Bellingham Dragged England Through a Quarterfinal. That’s Just What He Does Now.

Miami is built on fantasies, but England’s version is starting to feel real. A quarterfinal win over Norway, secured in extra time after falling behind, keeps the dream alive. And once again, it was Jude Bellingham doing the heavy lifting.

His first goal was a clinic in composure — taking Anthony Gordon’s pass, rolling past two defenders, and blasting through the keeper. His second was pure grit: cleaning up a rebound after Morgan Rogers’ shot got spilled, because that’s what Bellingham does. He mops up. He never stops.

By the time he was subbed off in the 110th minute for Dan Burn, the stadium was chanting “JUUUUDE.” Thomas Tuchel may have been frustrated with the team’s overall performance, but not with his No. 10. You can’t be. Bellingham now has six goals this World Cup. The man is carrying a nation on his back.

Norway’s biggest threat got shut down

The pregame talk was all about Erling Haaland vs. Harry Kane. Haaland came in having scored in every competitive international since October 2024. That streak died in Miami. England’s defense — featuring three current or former Man City teammates of Haaland in Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi, and John Stones — knew how to handle him. They blocked crosses, crowded the middle, and let Elliot Anderson and Reece James disrupt supply lines. Haaland managed two weak shots saved by Jordan Pickford and not much else.

It wasn’t perfect. Andreas Schjelderup’s cross sneaked in off the post to give Norway the lead. But England held, and then they came back. That’s the story of this team so far.

Tuchel’s halftime tinkering almost backfired

Tuchel pulled Declan Rice and Noni Madueke at halftime, bringing on Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka. The switch from 4-2-3-1 to 4-1-4-1 with Anderson as the lone pivot was supposed to change the pressing structure. Instead, it made England weaker. Norway had a goal disallowed for a Haaland shove on Anderson, and they hit the crossbar through Kristoffer Ajer. It wasn’t working.

Tuchel and assistant Anthony Barry fixed it by introducing James, who slotted into midfield to ease Anderson’s workload. Djed Spence and Rogers came on late and made huge impacts — Spence in particular played like a lion. Rogers’ shot created Bellingham’s winner. Sometimes the subs work, sometimes they don’t. This time they just barely did.

England now waits for Argentina or Switzerland in the semifinals. The Vikings are vanquished. The dream keeps going. And Bellingham is still carrying the weight.