FIFA World Cup 2026: Jude Bellingham joins Maradona in exclusive club with back-to-back World Cup knockout ties

Jude Bellingham showcased his talent by scoring four goals in the knockout stages of the World Cup, reminiscent of Diego Maradona’s brilliance in 1986. (Photo/ANI) Forty years ago in Mexico, Diego Maradona scored twice against England and twice against Belgium in consecutive World Cup knockout games. On Sunday in Miami, Jude Bellingham did the exact same thing.Bellingham became the first player since Maradona in 1986 to score two or more goals in consecutive knockout appearances at the same World Cup when he completed the Round of 16 sweep of Azteca and Norway against Mexico in the quarterfinals at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday. England won 2-1 to book their place in the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time since 1990.The comparison with Maradona is as extraordinary as it should be. In 1986 it was at this World Cup in Mexico that Maradona scored twice against England in one of the most famous matches ever played, including Hand of God and Goal of the Century, and then followed it up with two more against Belgium in the semi-final. No player in the last 40 years has accomplished the same feat in consecutive elimination matches in a single tournament. All the way to Bellingham.Compared to Norway, Bellingham was the biggest difference, but it needed every bit of drama this World Cup had to offer before it got its way.Norway struck first. In the 36th minute, Andreas Schjelderup fired a brilliant shot off the right post into the back of the net to stun an England side that dominated possession. Then came one of the most controversial moments of the tournament. Norway’s goal kick appeared to hit an aerial camera cable and fell to Elliot Anderson, who quickly fed Bellingham for a clinically low equalizer just before half-time. According to tournament rules, the game should have been stopped for a dropped ball, but the offense went unnoticed, prompting furious protests from the Norwegian bench.The match reached extra time. And then, in the third minute of the extra period, Bellingham served. Morgan Rogers unleashed a venomous shot that Orjan Nyland failed to keep clear and Bellingham pounced on the rebound to fire England ahead. It was his sixth goal of the tournament, bringing him level with team-mate Harry Kane and putting him just two behind Golden Boot leaders Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi.Jordan Pickford was equally heroic throughout as he produced a pinpoint save against Haaland in the first half to keep England level. In the second half of extra time, an exhausted Haaland, who was scoreless for the first time in the entire tournament, was replaced by Jorgen Strand Larsen, signaling the end of Norway’s biggest threat.England are in the semi-finals of the World Cup. They will face Argentina or Switzerland on Wednesday in Arlington, Texas. And leading the charge is a young man from Stourbridge who is making the kind of history only legends make.