Bellingham channels inner Ted Lasso after firing England into World Cup semis

Bellingham-Lasso

Jude Bellingham has invoked the spirit of Ted Lasso after carrying England into the final four of the 2026 World Cup. The Real Madrid superstar was once again the hero, netting a brace to secure a gritty 2-1 quarter-final victory over Norway and set up a mouth-watering clash against Argentina.

'Live to fight another day'

Bellingham took to Instagram after the game and appeared to channel his inner Ted Lasso with a post to his followers. The Real Madrid star included the "Believe" motto Lasso is known for on the hit TV show as manager of fictional team AFC Richmond, though it is not clear whether that was his intention.

He wrote: "Live to fight another day.🦁 Semi’s next. Believe!"

Tuchel demands more despite quarter-final victory

England boss Thomas Tuchel has sent a clear message to his England squad following their hard-fought 2-1 victory over Norway, insisting that while he is proud of their spirit, the technical level must improve.

“Absolutely, no one disputes that,” Tuchel said when asked about the physical effort his players exerted. “I’m impressed with the shift that they put in, the effort, team spirit, the belief, and to overcome adversity and to dig in and find ways to win is on the absolutely highest level. They cannot get enough praise for that. But I’m also a football coach, and I think we can play better.”

Responding to suggestions that his manager was unhappy with the display, Bellingham remained steadfast. “Oh well, whatever… It’s difficult out there,” the midfielder said. “It’s a tough shift. All the players put in a very tough shift. So my thoughts and appreciation go to the players who were out there who put in a great shift yet again.”

Kane and Bellingham carry the scoring burden

The statistics reveal a heavy reliance on England’s two most profile players. Bellingham and captain Harry Kane have combined to score 12 of England's 13 goals throughout the 2026 tournament.

“We need to get better in attacking to also bring other players into position,” Tuchel admitted. “But, of course, they are decisive players. They love the responsibility. They have the quality. They show up in decisive moments, so there’s nothing wrong with it. We don’t need to be sorry for that, that these two guys play for us and decide the matches for us. It’s impressive. They’re both top players, who found a way to play so efficiently with each other.”

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Semi-final showdown with Argentina awaits

England now head to Atlanta for a mouth-watering semi-final clash against Argentina on Wednesday. The Three Lions have shown a remarkable ability to grind out results, a trait that Tuchel believes has created a deep bond within the squad despite his tactical reservations.

“No, not at all with the result and not with the team,” Tuchel said when asked if he was unhappy. “Maybe I need to be more specific. There’s no doubt I’m proud and I’m happy. And I feel so connected to this team because they just do whatever it takes to take the next step.”