England is in the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup after a dramatic turnaround against Norway. In a clash of the 1/4-finals in Miami, the composition of the “Three Lions“ enforced with 2:1 after overtimes. The big hero for the winners was once again Jude Bellingham, who scored both goals for his team. The match caused a wave of polar comments, analyses and emotional reactions among coaches, footballers and the world media.
Reactions in the England camp: Joy and criticism
England coach Thomas Tuchel surprised many with his extremely critical tone immediately after the final whistle. The German specialist told ITV that the result and the ranking in the Top 4 were fantastic, but he was not at all satisfied with the team's performance on the pitch. Tuchel noted that his players were sluggish, made too many technical errors and were simply lucky in this match. He nevertheless praised the reserves Reece James and Morgan Rodgers for their good inclusion, which moved the game forward.
Two-time top scorer Jude Bellingham, asked by journalists about his manager's critical words, responded more moderately. The midfielder told ITV that the match was extremely physically difficult due to fatigue and the severe heat in Florida, preferring to emphasize the enormous dedication and “great substitution“ that his colleagues made on the field.
Disappointment and pride in Norway
The Norwegian staff expressed regret for the missed chances to close the match in their favor. A big topic of discussion after the match was the VAR annulled goal by Torbjörn Hegem in the second half due to a foul by Erling Haaland. Coach Stole Solbakken and his staff were also disappointed by the forced substitution of their big star Haaland at the beginning of the second extra time, caused by complete physical exhaustion and a slight injury. Despite the elimination, thousands of fans took to the streets in Oslo to celebrate the country's historic qualification to this stage.
The response in the world media
BBC: British media described Bellingham as “the man for the big moments” and highlighted England's desire to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2018. ESPN: Analysts focused on the fact that Bellingham already has 6 goals in the tournament and ranks right next to the historical achievements of legends like Pele for goals scored in World Cup finals before turning 24. Independent (The Independent):The publication emphasizes the tension and „explosive“ interview with Thomas Tuchel, opisvayki pobedata na englishlitka cato is unconvincing, but extremely valuable from the tournament.Captain for two selection dates – Hari Kane for England and Martin Jodegaard for Norway – Dadoha emotional expressions in the mix zonata at the stadium in Miami Vednaga trace of the edge for a dramatic 1/4-final
This is how it is with the dvamata leaders before the reporter:
Hari Kane: „Show me the spirit, but tryabva and let’s push in nothing“
England attacker Hari Kane does not hide his happiness, but agree with the criticism of manager Thomas Tuchel regarding the quality of the game:
For the character selection: Kane declared the herald „Gardin“, what macht e beat the true test for the will of the composition. The bottom line is that you will meet the planner organized by tim kato Norway and the result will be a continuation of exceptional mental stability. Presented:The captain recognized that England did not soil the macha hard and did not allow the opponent to dictuva tempoto prez parvoto half the time. In my opinion, the lawsuit was selected and the light title was sealed, like the recession in the semi-finals, it would be fatal. For Jude Belingham:Kane zasipa with praise for his fellow selection, who is called before„Sky Sports“ „rodena classic“ and the leader, who knows how, and we will sing an excuse in the nay-pregnatite second.
Martin Yodegaard: „I’m proud, but there’s a lot of pain“
Halft and the captain on Norway Martin Jodegaard were barely disappointed, but the trace of the great dignity demonstrated disappeared:
За емоциите след мача: Пред норвежката обществена телевизия NRK Йодегор сподели, че в съблекалнята цари пълна тишина и разочарованието е огромно, тъй като отборът е бил изключително близо до исторически полуфинал. За спорните моменти и VAR: Капитанът отказа да обвинява директно съдиите за отменения гол на Торбьорн Хегем, но отбеляза, че подобни детайли и минимални съприкосновения в наказателното поле винаги накланят везните в полза на по-големите футболни нации. За представянето на Норвегия: Йодегор изрази невероятна гордост от съотборниците си. Той заяви, че Норвегия е доказала на целия свят, че може да надиграе и да постави на колене отбор от ранга на Англия, а този турнир ще остане в историята на норвежкия спорт.На полуфиналите в Атланта отборът на Англия ще се изправи срещу победителя от двойката между Аржентина и Швейцария.