The marquee quarterfinal delivered, and it took extra time to settle it. Norway drew first blood in the 36th minute when Andreas Schjelderup's cross-shot beat Jordan Pickford, and for a long stretch it looked like Erling Haaland's team might do to England what they'd already done to Brazil. Jude Bellingham had other ideas, leveling it in first-half stoppage time to send the sides in level at the break — a goal that would prove to be merely the opening act of his night.
The match's most controversial moment arrived in the 56th minute. Torbjørn Heggem turned home a rebound from a corner to apparently put Norway back in front, only for referee Clément Turpin to be sent to the monitor — the goal was ruled out for a push by Haaland on Elliot Anderson in the buildup. Norway's players were furious, and the goal stood disallowed. Thomas Tuchel had already made a double change at halftime, sending on Bukayo Saka for Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze for Declan Rice, with Reece James also introduced for Anthony Gordon as the match wore on.
Neither side found a winner in normal time, and the match went to extra time for the first occasion this tournament for either team. Three minutes in, Bellingham struck again — reacting quickest after Morgan Rogers' shot was spilled by Ørjan Nyland to turn home the rebound and put England 2-1 up. Norway's response was undermined by their own bench: at halftime of extra time, with his team still chasing an equalizer, Ståle Solbakken controversially withdrew Erling Haaland, sending on Jørgen Strand Larsen — a decision that was immediately and widely questioned given Norway needed a goal more than at any other point in the match. England saw out the remainder with Dan Burn introduced for the departing match-winner Bellingham in the 111th minute, and held on for a 2-1 win after extra time.
England reach the World Cup semifinal for the first time since 2018, in searing Florida heat that shaped the entire contest. Bellingham's brace takes him to six goals this tournament, level with Harry Kane and one behind Erling Haaland's tournament-leading seven — a number that will sting a little more now that Norway's own World Cup has ended with their talisman on the bench. Norway's remarkable run — their first World Cup since 1998, a first-ever knockout win, and a first-ever victory over Brazil — ends at the quarterfinal stage, but it is a run this Norwegian generation can be genuinely proud of.
An equalizer in first-half stoppage time and the extra-time winner three minutes in — Bellingham decided this match almost single-handedly, in brutal Florida heat, against the tournament's most in-form individual scorer. England's deepest run since 2018 belongs to him as much as anyone.