Jude Bellingham netted twice as England edged past Norway 2-1 in extra time during their World Cup quarter-final clash in Miami, booking a spot in the last four of the tournament.
The Real Madrid midfielder proved decisive once again, rescuing his side after they fell behind early when Andreas Schjelderup's cross-cum-shot caught goalkeeper Jordan Pickford off guard.
Bellingham levelled before the break with an impressive strike, and following a tense second period, he found the net again during the additional thirty minutes to seal progression.
The Three Lions now sit just two victories away from lifting the trophy, though the post-match atmosphere was far from celebratory as manager Thomas Tuchel and his star player appeared at odds over the quality of the performance.
Speaking to ITV after the match, Tuchel made clear his dissatisfaction despite the positive result. "We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today," the German coach stated. "The result is fantastic, we're in the last four, it's amazing, but not happy with the performance in every sense."
He went on to elaborate on his concerns, describing the display as "sloppy" with "a lot of technical mistakes" while also criticising the team for being "not fast enough, not repetitive enough."
The England boss did acknowledge his players' determination, noting that commitment was present throughout the contest.
However, his overall verdict was damning: "We were lucky today."
Tuchel also took exception to questions about whether England had a mentality problem, responding sharply: "This is pure mentality. How can you ask about mentality?"
When Tuchel's assessment was relayed to Bellingham during his own post-match interview, the midfielder's response was blunt.
"Yeah, well, whatever, whatever," he replied. "It's difficult out there. It's a tough shift. My thought and appreciation is with the players."
The 23-year-old went further when asked whether his manager's tough love reflected high standards.
"Maybe. But maybe he doesn't know what it's like to play in those conditions against Erling Haaland, Odegaard, Nusa, Sorloth… they're not an easy team to play against," Bellingham said.
He emphasised the squad's positive mindset heading into the semi-finals, adding: "You can't win every game popping the ball and making 1,000 passes, sometimes you have to win dirty and we did that today."
Despite his critical remarks, Tuchel insisted there was no rift between himself and the squad. "No disconnect from me to my team – not one per cent," he stated.
"I am with my heart and fully in love with my players."
"Maybe he doesn't know what it's like to play in those conditions."😳
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) July 12, 2026
Jude Bellingham spoke openly about Thomas Tuchel being critical of England's performance against Norway. pic.twitter.com/aJgDGEVNfX
The manager acknowledged that fortune had smiled on England at crucial moments during the contest.
The ball appeared to strike a Spidercam wire before dropping to Elliot Anderson in the build-up to Bellingham's equaliser, while Norway also had a second goal chalked off following a VAR review.
"We are lucky in decisive moments. It could have gone the other way," Tuchel admitted. "You always need a bit of luck in tournament football."
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