England advance to semi-finals

By George Aldridge — 12 July 2026 — 4 min read

England advance to semi-finals

England have secured a place in the World Cup semi-finals after a hard-fought victory over Norway in Miami. The match, which went into extra-time, saw England emerge with a win, setting up a semi-final clash against Argentina. This marks England‘s fourth appearance in a World Cup semi-final, following their previous runs as hosts in 1966, and then in Italy in 1990 and Russia in 2018.

Despite the positive result, head coach Thomas Tuchel expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s performance. Following the final whistle, Tuchel stated, “We got lucky.” He elaborated on his concerns, highlighting that the team “made life very, very difficult for ourselves.”

Tuchel‘s assessment pointed to a performance he described as “sloppy, a lot of technical mistakes.” He acknowledged the significance of reaching the last four but was “not happy with the performance – in every sense.”

Manager’s criticism and player reaction

The quarter-final against Norway was filled with incidents, including Norway taking an early lead, missing an opportunity to extend it to 2-0, having a goal disallowed, and hitting the crossbar. Tuchel suggested that the team’s advancement was primarily due to “pure mentality.”

Jude Bellingham, who scored twice in the 47th and 93rd minutes, responded to his manager’s comments by saying, “Yeah well, whatever.” He emphasised the challenging conditions and the effort put in by the players, stating, “It’s difficult out there, it’s a tough shift. All the players have put in a tough shift. My thoughts and appreciation goes to the players out there who put in a great shift.”

Bellingham also hinted at the physical demands of the game, suggesting that Tuchel “doesn’t know what it’s like to play in those conditions against Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard, Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sorloth.” He added that Norway is “not an easy team to play against” and sometimes teams “have to win dirty.”

England‘s journey through the tournament has seen them overcome Croatia 4-2 in their opening group game, draw with Ghana, defeat Panama 2-0, and come from behind against DR Congo. They also secured a 3-2 victory over Mexico while playing with 10 men.

Tuchel affirmed his affection for the team, stating, “With my heart, I am fully in love with my players and my team, but we can play better, there are a lot of things to do better.”

Squad selection and resilience

Concerns have been raised regarding Tuchel‘s squad selection, particularly the omission of Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. Despite being considered a reasonable option for the bench in previous matches, Mainoo has not featured in England‘s campaign.

During the match against Norway, Declan Rice started but was later replaced by Eberechi Eze, followed by Reece James. The central midfield saw various combinations throughout the 120 minutes, including Declan Rice and Anderson, then Bellingham and Anderson, followed by Reece James and Anderson, and finally Morgan Rogers and Anderson.

Former England players have largely supported Tuchel‘s candid post-match comments. Alan Shearer, a former England captain, noted that Tuchel deserved credit for his honesty, stating, “You have to give him [Tuchel] credit for doing it – he was having none of that.”

Wayne Rooney, who made appearances for England, described Tuchel‘s remarks as “spot on in terms of the mentality.” Rooney highlighted the team’s character, especially after Ezri Konsa‘s injury and Declan Rice‘s early substitution due to a pre-existing doubt about his fitness. He added that for much of the game, Norway appeared to be the stronger team.

Matt Upson, a former England defender, also commented on the match, suggesting that with 25 minutes remaining in regular time, it seemed Norway was poised to win. The resilience shown by England in overcoming these challenges has been a recurring theme in their tournament run.

Shearer further elaborated on Tuchel‘s emphasis on mentality, explaining that it refers to the team’s ability to “find a way to get back into the game, the way they found a way to keep going.” He concluded that the team is “made of tough stuff” and has proven it by reaching the semi-final.

Rooney reiterated his delight at England‘s progression, despite acknowledging that the performance was not outstanding, but stressed that they “found a way.” He praised Tuchel‘s interview, calling it “spot on.”

Looking ahead, Upson anticipates a different approach from England in their next match. He expects the team to “start the semi-final with a different tempo and different mindset,” especially given the potentially less humid conditions compared to Miami. England will return to Atlanta for their semi-final match.

The semi-finalists for the World Cup now include England, Argentina, France, and Spain. According to reports, these four teams represent some of the top sides in the world.

Argentina also required extra-time to overcome their European opposition, with Julian Alvarez playing a key role in their victory. The semi-final against Argentina will be held next week.

Source: bbc.co.uk