Norway’s grueling quarterfinal exit at the hands of England have triggered a massive wave of reactions from players, coaches, and fans alike. Among the most notable voices was Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland, who spoke candidly about Jude Bellingham‘s stellar 2026 World Cup performance and his meteoric rise for both England and Real Madrid.
“Real Madrid and England are lucky to have Jude Bellingham, and everyone wants Jude Bellingham on their team. He’s one of the best players in the world,” Haaland told reporters in the mixed zone after the final whistle.
The high praise underscores the immense respect Haaland holds for his former club teammate. Such glowing endorsements, coupled with Bellingham‘s lethal form in North America—including a historic milestone that saw him surpass French icon Zinedine Zidane’s World Cup goal tally—have solidified the midfielder’s status as a generational superstar.
While Haaland was held off the scoresheet today, his tournament run remains spectacular, concluding his 2026 World Cup campaign with seven goals. That clinical output places him in elite company, trailing only tournament top-scorers Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.
Erling Haaland of Norway
Bellingham brushes off coaching criticism after MVP performance
After taking home Man of the Match honors, Bellingham faced the media and was immediately asked about England manager Thomas Tuchel’s critical post-match remarks regarding the Three Lions’ sluggish overall performance against Norway.
Bellingham offered a visibly indifferent, “whatever” response to the critique, a reaction that is bound to fuel speculation about potential friction between Tuchel and his locker room, despite England ultimately securing the victory in extra time.
The drama caps off a chaotic, high-stakes match where FIFA was forced to issue a statement addressing the validity of England’s first goal. Unbothered by the noise, Bellingham followed up his controversial first-half equalizer by delivering the game-winner to complete his brace early in extra time.
