Bellingham Does It Again
If you needed a reminder of why Jude Bellingham has become the beating heart of this England side, Saturday in Miami provided it in full. Norway, unfancied but utterly fearless, went ahead through Andreas Schjelderup in the first half and had the Three Lions rattled for long stretches under the Florida sun. England needed an answer, and right on the stroke of half-time Bellingham provided it, level-headed enough to take a couple of extra touches to create the space for himself before firing past Orjan Nyland to make it 1-1.
Norway would have a case for feeling hard done by. With the game deep into its second half, Torbjorn Heggem thought he had put the Norwegians back in front at the back post, only for the goal to be chalked off after a VAR review found Erling Haaland had shoved Elliott Anderson in the build-up. It was the kind of marginal call that can define a tournament, and it swung squarely in England’s favour. Norway never got another clear look at it, and early in extra time Bellingham was on hand again, pouncing on a loose ball after Morgan Rogers had forced a save, to complete his brace and send England through 2-1.
Thomas Tuchel was refreshingly honest afterwards, admitting his side had ridden their luck. “We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today,” he said, adding that England “were lucky today” and have work to do before the semifinal. It is not the kind of thing many managers say after reaching a World Cup last four, but Tuchel has never been shy of naming a problem, even mid-celebration. For England, though, the result is what matters: a first World Cup semifinal appearance since 1990, and Bellingham’s tournament tally ticking up yet again.
Kansas City Drama: Argentina Ride Their Luck Too
Over in Kansas City, Argentina were given every reason to sweat by a Switzerland side that refused to be intimidated. Alexis Mac Allister settled early nerves in the tenth minute, sweeping in from a Lionel Messi corner to give the holders a deserved lead. But Switzerland, tidy and disciplined all tournament, hit back through Dan Ndoye in the 67th minute, turning a comfortable-looking afternoon into a genuine contest.
The game’s pivotal moment arrived soon after. Breel Embolo, already on a yellow card from the first half, was shown a second for what officials deemed unsporting behaviour — going down under a challenge from Leandro Paredes that replays suggested owed more to theatre than contact. It was a costly piece of gamesmanship that backfired spectacularly, leaving Switzerland to defend for over 45 minutes with ten men against Messi and company.
Even so, Argentina could not find the breakthrough in normal time, and it took until extra time for the numbers advantage to properly tell. Julian Alvarez conjured a stunning long-range strike in the 112th minute to restore the lead, and Lautaro Martinez added a third moments into the second period of extra time to make the scoreline reflect the balance of the contest. It is worth pausing on Messi’s part in it all: his remarkable run of scoring in nine straight World Cup appearances finally came to an end, but the assist for Mac Allister’s opener was a reminder that his influence on this Argentina side goes well beyond the scoresheet.
Heat, Heart and a Semifinal for the Ages
Both quarterfinals shared a common thread beyond the extra-time drama: the heat. Temperatures pushing past 30 degrees in both Miami and Kansas City tested legs and concentration deep into added time, and it showed in the way both games loosened up physically in the closing stages, chances opening up as bodies tired. Full credit to Norway and Switzerland, too — neither side was expected to push its heavyweight opponent this far, and both will leave the tournament with reputations enhanced, even in defeat.
What it all sets up, though, is the tie every neutral will circle on the calendar. Argentina and England now meet in the semifinal on Wednesday in Atlanta, a rematch of styles as much as anything: Bellingham’s late-arriving heroics against Messi’s enduring genius, two sides who needed the full 120 minutes just to get here. If Saturday’s pair of contests are anything to go by, nobody should expect this one to be settled early either. Bring on Atlanta.