England‘s progression to the World Cup semi-finals were clouded by a dramatic controversy on Saturday night in Miami, as Jude Bellingham’s goal against Norway arrived only after the ball appeared to strike a camera cable in the build-up.

It was an incident VAR failed to flag, as replays of the passage of play showed the ball making contact with a broadcast camera cable before England began the move that ended with Bellingham bringing Thomas Tuchel‘s side level.

Under the laws of the game, contact with external equipment that materially aids an attacking side should result in a stoppage, and the goal *should* have been ruled off.

Instead, the officials waved play on, the goal stood, and a moment that should have handed the advantage back to Norway swung England’s way firmly, as they eventually ran out 2–1 winners.

What Went Wrong With the VAR Call?

REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

The role of the video assistant referee is precisely for this kind of incident — an interference in the phase of play that leads directly to a goal.

On this occasion, it didn’t. Whether the cable contact went unseen in the VAR booth or was judged not to have affected the passage of play, no review followed, and no correction was made. For a tournament already marred by officiating rows, it was another unwelcome addition.

Argentina’s progress has involved disputed refereeing calls, and now England find themselves at the centre of their own. Norway supporters have every reason to feel aggrieved, as a goal that ought to have been ruled out was allowed to stand at a pivotal moment.

No explanation from the officials will fully settle the sense of a decision that got away from them, especially at that time in the game and bad officiating has written itself into the story of the 2026 World Cup once again.

FIFA Issue Statement

As per Ben Jacobs, FIFA said there was “no peak on the graph” to suggest the ball hit a camera cable in the build-up to England’s goal.’ He also noted that: “Norway fuming, and their position backed up by replays. Under the rules, play should have been stopped”

In a further statement, FIFA added: Before England’s goal in minute 45+2 against Norway, the sensor in the Connected Ball showed no peak in the ‘heartbeat of the ball’ when in the air, and therefore no evidence that the ball touched the overhead wire and changed the movement of the ball.

How the Match Played Out

England’s Jude Bellingham celebrates scoring vs Norway via Reuters/Sam Navarro

Two of the competition’s great entertainers met for the fifth time at a major tournament. Whilst England began comfortably up to the first hydration break, Andreas Schjelderup fired Norway into the lead with a shot-slash-cross that will be debated, but it didn’t take long for Bellingham, and England, to hit back.

It was Anthony Gordon‘s smart pass that found him on the edge of the box and his expert touch and dribble was topped off by a fine left-foot strike to Thomas Tuchel’s side level. Kane did have the ball in the back of the net shortly after, but it was ruled out for offside as the two sides went in level.

Norway made the early running in the second half, and they thought Torbjorn Heggem had given them the lead only to be scuppered by a VAR check that noticed a push by Erling Haaland on his new Manchester City teammate Elliot Anderson. Both teams battled to full-time with the score level, with both sides experiencing extra-time for the first time this summer.

Bellingham’s extraordinary form continued after Morgan Rogers’ shot forced Ørjan Nyland to parry into the six-yard box and the midfielder was the first to react. That was the Real Madrid star’s sixth World Cup goal, as he surpassed the great Zinedine Zidane‘s entire career output.

England thought they had a chance to kill the game from the penalty spot but Djed Spence’s collision with Oscar Bobb was deemed to be fair challenge after a VAR review. It was originally given as a foul as more drama ensued. Yet, England held on for a place in the semi-finals, facing either the winner of Argentina and Switzerland.

Every World Cup, a few new England players enter the wider public consciousness. Premier League fans would have been aware of Elliot Anderson and Djed Spence for a little while now, but those who don’t follow the sport as closely will probably not know a lot about them.

The pair were trusted by Thomas Tuchel as part of his plans for this summer tournament, and each has been heavily involved, with Anderson starting every match until now, with Spence has also featured in every game, although starting just twice.

Even some of the most knowledgeable football fans, however, may not know that they both have famous siblings.

Elliot Anderson’s Boxer and Love Islander Brother

Jim Rassol/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters

Whitley Bay-born Anderson came through at Newcastle United but joined Nottingham Forest in 2024. The Magpies will be regretting that as he’s since proved to be a top talent, securing a £116m move to Manchester City.

His maternal grandfather, Geoff Allen, actually played for Newcastle United from 1964 to 1968, but it’s his brother who will be known to fans of British reality TV. Indeed, his brother, Wil Anderson, became a public figure after appearing on the 11th season of Love Island.

Older brother Wil was actually seen in the US this summer with his fiancée Uma Jammeh, having met her on Love Island in 2024. He is also a boxer and notably took on Britain’s Got Talent legend Jordan Banjo in a Misfits boxing bout, losing via a fourth-round technical knockout in May 2025.

Spence’s Sister is a British Actress and Voiceover Artist

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Brett Davis

Spence currently plays for Tottenham, joining the club in 2022 from Middlesbrough after an impressive loan spell at Nottingham Forest. While it took him a while to earn his place at Spurs (going out on loan three times), the 25-year-old impressed enough in 2025/26 to win a spot in Tuchel’s England squad.

His older sister is Karla-Simone Spence, and she is known to the public for being a British actress and voiceover artist. The 29-year-old is most widely recognised for her roles in Blue Story and the ITVX period drama The Confessions of Frannie Langton.

As well as that, Spence’s sister has also featured in the BBC series Gold Digger and Wannabe, and she played Haydee in The Count of Monte Cristo alongside well-known actor Sam Claflin.

While Spence will feel as though he did more than enough to make the England World Cup squad, not everybody is convinced. Former England defender John Terry has expressed his concerns over the player, telling Piers Morgan earlier in July:

“Listen, I’m not his fan. I don’t think he’s a good defender, I don’t think he’s a good footballer. He’s played in a really struggling Spurs side this year.”

A former FIFA referee and rules expert has cast a clear verdict on whether Norway’s opening goal vs England should have been brought back for a foul on Harry Kane in the buildup.

The Three Lions had dominated possession in the early exchanges of their World Cup quarter-final. But the first hydration break in Miami’s hot and humid Hard Rock Stadium sparked new life into the Vikings, with Andreas Schjelderup producing a bolt from the blue as his cross-come-shot rebounded off the upright of the post and in.

Kane, Jordan Pickford, and others in the England camp were convinced a Norwegian defender had committed a foul in the buildup, but Christina Unkel wasn’t so convinced, as she gave her reasoning for ITV.

Former FIFA Referee Casts Verdict on Harry Kane Foul in Norway Opener

Nathan Ray Seebeck via Reuters

After reviewing the footage, Unkel – who served as State Referee Administrator for the Florida State Referee Committee, following years as a FIFA referee – explained on ITV (watch the incident below):

Jude Bellingham Comes to the Rescue Once Again

REUTERS/Paul Childs via Action Images

Luckily for England, they weren’t behind for long. Jude Bellingham scored his fifth goal of this summer after being played through by a slick Anthony Gordon ball during added time.

Thomas Tuchel has long been able to call on the Real Madrid midfielder for a saviour, and that was the case yet again. Having smelt blood in the very early knockings of the match, the German appeared to be passionately telling his players to move the ball quicker and play with more urgency during the hydration break, but it wasn’t until the final 10 minutes that the Three Lions reacted to that message.

With all to play for in the second-half, England are hoping to make it past the quarter-finals for just the third time in their 11 total appearances at this stage of the World Cup. The last time they managed that was under Gareth Southgate in 2018, before they lost to Croatia.