The World Cup quarter-finals are never easy to navigate, and England's hard-won 2-1 victory over Norway was a testament to that. Despite Jude Bellingham's stunning goals either side of half-time securing their place in the semis for the fourth time in history, Thomas Tuchel's words after the match were anything but jubilant. The manager labelled his team's performance as 'lucky' and 'sloppy', a far cry from the euphoric scenes on the pitch and in the stands.
The game itself was a tense, back-and-forth affair that saw Norway take an early lead, miss a golden opportunity to double it, have a goal disallowed, and hit the crossbar. It was a recipe for disaster, but England's sheer mentality and grit ultimately paid off. Bellingham's two goals in the 47th and 93rd minutes – his sixth of the tournament – sealed their passage, despite Tuchel admitting that only 'pure mentality' allowed them to progress.
Bellingham himself offered a refreshingly honest assessment of the match, shrugging off Tuchel's criticism with a wry smile. "It's difficult out there, it's a tough shift," he said, before highlighting the gruelling conditions and Norway's impressive line-up. The Real Madrid midfielder was having none of his manager's negativity, insisting that sometimes you have to 'win dirty' – which, in this case, England did.
Former England internationals were quick to praise Tuchel for his forthright assessment, with Alan Shearer hailing the manager as a breath of fresh air. "He's spot on in terms of the mentality," Wayne Rooney agreed, highlighting the team's character and resilience in overcoming injuries to Ezri Konsa and Declan Rice. Matt Upson too noted that Norway looked like the dominant side for large chunks of the game.
England's journey to this stage has been far from smooth sailing – they've had their fair share of twists and turns, including a 4-2 win over Croatia, a draw with Ghana, a 2-0 victory against Panama, and a dramatic come-from-behind win against DR Congo. Now, as they prepare for the semi-finals against Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday, Tuchel has made it clear that there's still work to be done – and he's not afraid to say so.