TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – England's national team coach, Thomas Tuchel, admitted that his team was fortunate to defeat Norway 2-1 in the quarterfinal match of the 2026 World Cup at Miami Stadium, United States, on Sunday, July 12, 2026. Although securing a spot in the semifinals, he assessed that The Three Lions' performance was still far from satisfying.
England advanced to the final four thanks to two goals from Jude Bellingham. Norway initially took the lead through Andreas Schjelderup before Bellingham equalized in the first half of extra time and scored the winning goal at the beginning of extra time.
"Today we made it difficult for ourselves. The result is fantastic because we advance to the semifinals, but I am not pleased with our performance. We were lucky today. We need to play better," Tuchel said as quoted from FIFA's website.
The German coach emphasized that England must not repeat a similar performance if they want to progress further in the 2026 World Cup. According to him, reaching the semifinals should not make his team turn a blind eye to the various shortcomings evident when facing Norway.
Bellingham believed that England's victory stemmed from the team's fighting spirit, not giving up even when they were behind. "Character and perseverance brought us through this match. Even when things didn't go as expected, we gave everything we had," said the Real Madrid midfielder as quoted by Antara.
The 23-year-old player admitted to being proud of his teammates' struggle to rise in this crucial match. "I am very proud of this team. This is a victory for everyone," said Bellingham.
According to him, England's success in advancing to the semifinals also could not have been achieved without the support of the fans. "The entire country shares in this victory, including everyone who has always been behind us and the team staff," he added.
England's captain, Harry Kane, also praised his team's mentality in being able to rise after falling behind. "The match was fairly balanced in terms of ball possession and chances. However, when you have someone like Jude who can change the game for us as he did again today, that is clearly a major factor," said Kane. "The players' spirit and determination brought us through this match."
Kane assessed that the victory over Norway demonstrated the strong character the England squad possesses. He believed that the struggle until the final moments was the key to his team's success in turning the situation around.
The victory over Norway propels England into the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup. Tuchel's team will face the winner of the match between Argentina and Switzerland to compete for a spot in the final.
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
World Cup Preview: England's Biggest Test Yet Is Stopping Erling Haaland
1 hari lalu
England face a tough 2026 World Cup quarterfinal test against Norway on Sunday, July 12, with one key question: how to stop Erling Haaland?
England's Declan Rice Provides Injury Update After World Cup Opening Win
24 hari lalu
England's Declan Rice has eased concerns over his fitness after limping off during the Three Lions' 4-2 victory over Croatia in World Cup opener.
England's Thomas Tuchel Replaces Injured Livramento With Chalobah to World Cup Squad
24 hari lalu
Head coach Thomas Tuchel called up Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah to replace the injured Newcastle United player in England's World Cup squad.
Harry Maguire 'Shocked and Gutted' by England World Cup Squad Snub
50 hari lalu
The Manchester United defender said he was shocked and devastated by Tuchel's decision to omit him from the Three Lions squad.
Thomas Tuchel Names England Squad for 2026 World Cup
50 hari lalu
Tuchel aims to build a balanced 26-player squad with clear roles. Some big names will miss out on the World Cup.
