While England is celebrating their ticket to the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup, coach Thomas Tuchel has his own concerns.
Today we made it very difficult for ourselves. We were lucky" - the German strategist admitted after the 2-1 victory over Norway in the quarter-finals.
Tuchel does not want to underestimate the value of victory, but he believes that the result needs to be seen in a specific context. England could have been eliminated if it weren't for Jude Bellingham's double, who once again played the hero to help the "Three Lions" overcome difficult times.
However, if they want to defeat Argentina in the semi-finals, England must definitely improve their performance. Besides the limitations revealed against Norway, Tuchel's team still shows bravery and squad depth, factors that bring confidence before the next challenge.
The players who came on from the bench are all true warriors, not at all immature" - Bellingham shared after the match. That is a recognition for the players who contributed to helping England reverse the situation and win the right to the semi-finals.
Bellingham was the one who brought the "Three Lions" back to the match. The 23-year-old midfielder passed two Norwegian defenders before launching a dangerous shot into the low corner, leaving goalkeeper Orjan Nyland unable to save.
England controlled the game for most of the first half, but after the break, everything changed direction. Norway played more proactively, continuously put pressure and at times came very close to a shocking victory.
Torbjorn Heggem once put the ball into the net after a corner kick situation, but the goal was disallowed due to Elliot Anderson's pushing error before that. However, Norway still maintained pressure, forcing Tuchel to continuously adjust personnel to reverse the situation.
The first difficulty appeared when Declan Rice had to leave the field. Eberechi Eze was brought in to replace him in midfield, while Bellingham retreated to support, but England was still inferior.
After that, Reece James was brought on and quickly made a difference. Not only playing solidly, the Chelsea captain also switched to playing right-back and locked down the spearhead Antonio Nusa.
This adjustment creates a gap in midfield, forcing Tuchel to continue using Morgan Rogers to pair with Elliot Anderson. Both bring new energy, helping England gradually regain control.
Rogers then left his mark with a shot from outside the penalty area that Nyland could only push the ball out to Bellingham's right position. The Real Madrid midfielder did not miss the opportunity to tap the ball close range, completing a double to bring England to the semi-finals. Although Bellingham became the focus with 2 goals, this victory also marked the silent players behind him.
Eze did not create much breakthrough in attack, but made a significant contribution to ball control. Djed Spence also had an impressive performance when coming on as a substitute. The Tottenham defender brought abundant energy to the wing, solid defense and once earned a penalty before VAR changed its decision.
Bukayo Saka also left his mark after being brought onto the field. The Arsenal winger continuously stirred up the Norwegian defense and created many dangerous situations.
In particular, the combination between Saka and Reece James brings positive signals. The performance of this duo shows that England can be even more dangerous if both reach their best physical condition in the semi-final match against Argentina.
The victory over Norway may not be convincing in terms of expertise, but it was a memorable night for England. Not every match needs to be won by overwhelming dominance. Tuchel once affirmed that he wanted to build a team of "experts for all situations", and his students proved that before Norway.
