Bellingham Makes World Cup History as England Close In on Final
Jude Bellingham is turning the 2026 World Cup into a one-man masterclass. The Real Madrid attacking midfielder scored twice against Norway on Saturday, having also netted a double against Mexico in the previous round. According to analysis by The Guardian, that makes him the first player to score twice in consecutive World Cup knockout matches since Diego Maradona did it at the 1986 tournament — a feat none of the game’s greatest forwards, including Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, have managed in the current edition.
The 23-year-old now has seven World Cup goals across his international career, with nine of his 12 England strikes coming at major tournaments — a proportion that dwarfs every other England player with at least 12 caps on the scoresheet. The Guardian’s data also shows that when comparing Golden Boot contenders on how well they convert their major-tournament minutes into goals, nobody comes close to Bellingham.
No Soft Targets, No Penalties Required
Critics who might point to inflated stats can look elsewhere. Bellingham has not padded his record with spot-kicks or goals against lower-ranked opposition. The Guardian notes that no team he has scored against was ranked below 48th in the world at the time. Compare that to Erling Haaland, who once bagged five goals against Moldova — ranked 159th globally — in a single outing.
Even Bellingham’s less high-profile goals carry drama. He has scored two equalisers in the 87th minute or later in internationals, including one against Greece in the Nations League, and another against Belgium in a friendly. A goal at Hampden Park in a non-competitive fixture rounds out a record built almost entirely on big moments.
The Guardian’s expected-goals breakdown adds further weight to the argument: three of England’s four highest xG performances at this tournament belong to Bellingham, one in each knockout match.
What It Means Looking Ahead
England now face Argentina in the semi-final — as dramatic a stage as the tournament offers. For UK fans tracking every development, our World Cup 2026 hub has full coverage, and you can follow the live standings as the knockout rounds progress.
Whether Bellingham can deliver again against a side of Argentina’s calibre is the defining question of England’s tournament. On the evidence so far, the burden of expectation appears to suit him just fine.