Jude Bellingham scores twice in Miami beat Norway (Image: Getty)
Third time lucky! July 11th was not kind to the England team. This day was also the day Italy lost their spot in the 2018 World Cup final and were upset by Croatia, and the day Italy won the Euro 2021 final five years ago, beating Wembley on penalties. As this game went into extra time, there was a real threat that Norway would make this day on the calendar even more cursed.
Instead, they will play in a World Cup semi-final for only the fourth time in England’s history. In 1966, Sir Alf Ramsey’s Three Lions defeated Portugal and then West Germany in the final. In 1990, the German army’s penalty shootout was a heartbreaking event. 2018 ended, as I said, with a humiliating defeat against Croatia. In 2026, Lionel Messi’s Argentina or Switzerland will be waiting for the final four. England are just two wins away from immortality. But one of them might have to be against the greatest player of all time, Lionel Messi. But Thomas Tuchel’s men once again have a deep-seated belief running through their veins.
They have overcome some of the biggest challenges in North America. Jude Bellingham stepped up at a crucial moment against Croatia. He and Harry Kane were once again reliable players against a defensively strong Panamanian side. Kane donned the Superman mantle again in the round of 32, defeating the Democratic Republic of the Congo with a stunning second-half goal.
Bellingham and Kane were the head heroes in the thriller against Mexico. But they weren’t the only heroes, as England, reduced to 10 men, achieved perhaps their biggest victory on foreign soil at the Aztec Stadium. To my surprise, I found a familiar headline maker here.
Norway, led by Erling Haaland, defeated Brazil in their last match and it was another tough test. They won 1-0. And for the first time this tournament, England were sent into extra time after Bellingham equalized for their country.
Tuchel’s charge came from behind the goal for the second time in three knockout matches in North America. And when regular time ended, the tension was palpable. Once again, the team had to thank the great Bellingham, who scored the deciding goal on the first rebound.
The Birmingham boy, who is still incredibly only 23 years old, will clearly be important if they are to win this tournament. The Real Madrid player has played in 6 games, scoring 6 goals and providing 1 assist. Four of them put England ahead. He has probably done as well in individual major tournaments as any England player to date.
Bellingham became the first midfielder in history to score five or more goals in a single World Cup. He becomes only the third player in history to do so, alongside Gary Lineker and Harry Kane, the country’s all-time leading goalscorers. And the two goals that won his game
It’s a grudge match that is sure to have a tense political backdrop, and their biggest obstacle yet could come against a crafty Argentina side. This week’s reaction to Gary Lineker calling the Falkland Islands “Malvinas” (the Spanish name Argentina uses for the remote archipelago in the South Atlantic) is already proof of that.
If Argentina defeats Switzerland, it will be the fourth official match between the two countries since the 1982 Falklands War. The three-time champions eliminated England at the 1986 World Cup with Diego Maradona’s famously infamous Hand of God goal, and in 1998 they eliminated England on penalties following David Beckham’s equally memorable red card.
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Jude Bellingham has a great 2026 World Cup (Image: Getty)
England just two wins away from winning their second World Cup (Image: Getty)
In 2002, Beckham got some personal revenge with a 1-0 win against South Korea, a victory that sent the South American team home. But they have only played one game since then. In a friendly in November 2005, England won 3-2 thanks to two goals from the late Michael Owen.
Messi was suspended for his international debut a few months ago, when he was sent off for elbowing an opponent just 40 seconds after coming off the bench. So, incredibly, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has never played against England, despite being 39 years old.
He has played 204 games for Argentina, scoring 125 goals and providing 65 assists. However, he never had a chance to prove himself against the Three Lions. He may not be the great player he was 10 years ago, but make no mistake, he’s still an absolutely phenomenal football player. That’s why he is co-leader of the Golden Boot.
Due to the increasing competition between countries, there is no possibility of friendly matches being held. The intensity of the hatred dates back to 1966. At the time, Argentina felt that Antonio Rattin had been unfairly dismissed during the quarter-final against England at his former club Wembley.
Rattin was given a red card for his dissent and refused to leave the pitch for around 10 minutes before being taken away by police. If it really is an England-Argentina match, Atlanta would be wise to deploy police throughout the city on Wednesday.
But if Tuchel’s lion can overtake Messi and co, belief in the return of soccer to the homeland will wash over the country like a tsunami, regardless of whether Spain or France awaits in the final. And it might sweep away the French and Spanish.
