MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Jude Bellingham locked arms with teammate Harry Kane as fans of England’s national men’s soccer team belted out “Hey Jude” by the Beatles.
Bellingham certainly earned the serenade Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium.
The 23-year-old midfielder scored twice — an equalizer in the first half and the go-ahead goal in the third minute of extra time — to lift England past Norway, 2-1, and into the World Cup semifinals. It’s the second time in the past three editions of the tournament and fourth time overall that England has made it to that phase, but the Three Lions wound up fourth at the 2018 event in Russia.
Bellingham, who plays professionally for Real Madrid in Spain’s La Liga, has now matched 32-year-old forward Kane with six goals in this tournament — two behind Golden Boot race leaders Kylian Mbappé of France and Lionel Messi of Argentina, and one shy of Norway’s Erling Haaland, who was held scoreless by England. Bellingham also scored twice in the round of 16 as England beat World Cup co-host Mexico last Sunday night at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Despite being a regular at the quadrennial tournament, England has reached the World Cup final just once — winning the 1966 tournament on home soil — and has long faced pressure to get back there. Now it’s one win away, with England facing reigning champion Argentina in a semifinal Wednesday afternoon at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.