Bellingham’s ominous brace keeps England’s dream alive
Thomas Tuchel said England got lucky in beating Norway – but you know what they say… You make your own luck. And this group of players continue to do that by being more resilient – more determined – than any England side in recent memory. Their latest achievement was clinching the Three Lions’ first extra-time World Cup win since 1990.
For the second time in the knockouts of this World Cup, England fought back from a goal down to prevail 2-1 – and for the second game running, Jude Bellingham was the two-goal hero. In doing so, he became the first player since Diego Maradona in 1986 to find the net twice in successive World Cup knockout games – and look who went on to win that World Cup…
Bellingham, along with fellow talisman Harry Kane, has scored six of England’s 13 goals this summer. In fact, the pair have accounted for every goal in each of the last five matches.
On the one hand, you wonder where England would be without them. On the other, it doesn’t feel like they’re carrying the team to a disproportionate degree – there just seems to be something in the water.
Messi draws a blank but still makes history as Argentina advance
Argentina await England in the semi-finals after their most comfortable victory of the knockouts so far – although we use that term relatively.
For the second time as they look to become the first nation to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962, Lionel Scaloni’s men needed extra time to get the job done – but get the job done they did against a spirited 10-man Switzerland.
For the first time at this tournament, Lionel Messi wasn’t on the scoresheet, with Julián Alvarez and substitute Lautaro Martínez the world champions’ extra-time saviours (though Messi, naturally, still had a key part to play, sending in the corner for Alexis Mac Allister’s opener).
And that assist saw Messi make yet more history by moving to 10 World Cup assists – at least two more than any other player (of whom that man Diego Maradona is one) since 1966.
Who will go on to lift the trophy?
The stage is set for the semi-finals, and they feature the countries ranked first to fourth in FIFA’s latest rankings.
Spain (2) and France (3) get things underway in Dallas on Tuesday, before Argentina (1) face England (4) in Atlanta on Wednesday
Until then, we rest…
The winner takes it all?
Most would surely agree France and Spain have been the two standout teams of the 2026 World Cup – but one of them is going to miss out on the final.
France’s all-star front four (well, five) of Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola has certainly lived up to the billing, with a whopping 28 goal contributions between them. They’ve accounted for all 16 of the goals Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus have scored at the tournament.
But Mbappé and co. are about to encounter the stingiest defence they’ve faced yet – one which was only breached for the first time in the quarter-finals. Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte and Marc Cucurella – backed up by Golden Glove leader Unai Simón – have routinely shut down opposition threat, giving up a tournament-low 1.8 Expected Goals (xG).
On paper, then, this one is going to be a classic attack vs defence showdown – but we’ve also seen enough of this World Cup that we almost expect the script to be flipped…
Great grudge match has never meant more
It’s one of the World Cup’s great grudge matches – and it’s never meant as much as this. For the first time since 2002, England and Argentina go head-to-head on the biggest stage – and later in the tournament than they ever have.
For all the pain of Maradona’s flawed brilliance in 1986 and David Beckham’s disgrace-inducing red in 1998, England do have the upper hand against Argentina in World Cup matches – recording three wins to their great rivals’ two – though the Three Lions have yet to triumph over the Albiceleste in knockout football. That would be a bonus milestone for Tuchel as he looks to lead England to their first World Cup final in 60 years.
This is also a clash of the two most resilient teams left in the tournament, which could set up an absolute ding-doing of a contest – though neither will be happy to partake in another World Cup classic if it doesn’t book them a place in New York next Sunday.
It wouldn’t be an understatement to say this is England’s biggest World Cup match since 1966 – but Argentina are arguably under no less pressure for the fact it’s ‘only’ their biggest since 2022. This is the kind of needle-imbued, heavyweight bout World Cups are all about – and it has all the ingredients to be one for the ages.
