13 July 2026
Bellingham's Parallel World Cup Carries England to the Semis
The Guardian argues that Jude Bellingham is playing a tournament within a tournament, his individual brilliance keeping England alive even as the team around him struggles for fluency.
Writing in The Guardian, Barney Ronay paints a vivid picture of an England side that has reached the semi-finals in spite of themselves, carried by the exceptional form of Jude Bellingham in the number ten shirt. The piece describes England as a team that have advanced on instinct, determination and isolated moments of genius rather than any settled system or collective rhythm.
The win over Norway came in extra time and was not comfortable. According to The Guardian, coach Thomas Tuchel's decisive call to bring on Morgan Rogers proved pivotal, with the substitute's shot directly creating the winning goal. The arrival of Rogers coincided with England regaining control as Norway, and Erling Haaland, tired and faded.
But the column is clear that Bellingham cannot carry this alone. France and Spain, England's potential semi-final opponents, are built around quality players within genuinely functional team structures. England's next challenge, in Atlanta, will demand more than one man's brilliance.
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