Bellingham fires back at Tuchel’s criticism after England’s World Cup quarterfinal win over Norway

England booked their spot in the World Cup semifinals after a grueling extra-time victory over Norway at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. Andreas Schjelderup put the Scandinavians ahead in the 36th minute, but Jude Bellingham turned the game around with a brace to set up a clash with Argentina. But the real talking point came after the final whistle. Thomas Tuchel had suggested that England were fortunate to advance — a comment that didn’t sit well with the Real Madrid star. “Maybe he doesn’t know what it’s like to play against Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard, Antonio Nusa, and Alexander Sørloth. That’s not an easy team to face,” Bellingham shot back when told about the manager’s remarks. The midfielder stressed that aesthetics take a back seat when the stakes are that high. “You don’t win every game by playing neat passes and making a thousand passes. Sometimes you have to win ugly,” he said. Bellingham also pointed to the brutal conditions at kickoff — 33°C with suffocating humidity in South Florida. “It’s not just about the opponent; the weather fights you too.” Tuchel later tried to smooth things over during his press conference, separating his pride in the squad from his tactical demands. “There’s no disconnect between me and this team. I am in love with these players and how they fight,” the German said. Still, he acknowledged that England made too many unforced errors and need to play faster and more composed. England have now reached the World Cup semifinals for only the second time in their history — the first since winning it all on home soil in 1966. Bellingham’s double also pulled him level with Harry Kane at six goals in the tournament, keeping the Golden Boot race wide open.