The Real Madrid midfielder, in exceptional form, was the architect of the 2-1 victory over a resilient Norway, propelling his team to the World Cup semi-finals after a tense extra time played under the "sweltering heat of Miami, where temperatures reached 33 degrees".
The atmosphere in Miami was worthy of a grand final, attracting a constellation of celebrities such as David Beckham, Ronaldo, Mick Jagger, Venus Williams, and Alessandro Del Piero. However, the initial spectacle did not live up to expectations. Reports described the start of the match as a "first-hour siesta in Miami," due to a slow pace imposed by Solbakken's team, which effectively closed spaces. The surprise came in the 36th minute when Andreas Schjelderup put the Scandinavians ahead with a "stunning goal" into the top corner after hitting the post.
However, Bellingham took charge before halftime, equalizing with a low shot after a controversial play. Norway claimed that the ball touched a spider cam cable, but FIFA ruled that the technology did not detect any contact. The second half was marked by tension and VAR. Norway even celebrated a 2-1 lead after a goal from Heggem, but VAR intervened to disallow the goal due to a prior push by Erling Haaland on Anderson.
The Manchester City forward, neutralized for the first time in the tournament, ended up "dejected on the bench" after being substituted in extra time. It was during extra time that Bellingham's opportunism shone again as he pounced on a goalkeeper's rebound to seal the victory. With this brace, "Sir Jude" now has six goals in the competition, matching Harry Kane. Despite the success, coach Thomas Tuchel surprised with a fierce criticism of the team's performance: "We made our lives very, very difficult today."
The German coach was relentless in stating that "the result is fantastic... but I am not happy with the performance... in any way." Far from getting involved in controversies, Bellingham responded with a laconic "Well, whatever," preferring to highlight the "personality and perseverance" of his teammates. England now sets its sights on Atlanta, where they will face the reigning champions, Argentina, next Wednesday for a spot in the grand final.