Bellingham equals Maradona with back-to-back knockout braces for England

What started as a collective England effort is fast becoming the Jude Bellingham show. The 23-year-old Real Madrid attacking midfielder has scored two goals in each of England's last two knockout matches, first against Mexico in the round of 16 and then against Norway in the quarterfinals. That run puts him in exceptionally rare company: the last player to score twice in consecutive World Cup knockout games was Diego Maradona in 1986.

The Maradona comparison

Maradona's braces against England (quarterfinal) and Belgium (semifinal) in Mexico '86 were the stuff of legend, part of a tournament that saw him carry Argentina to glory. Bellingham's feat is even more remarkable given the increased defensive organization in modern football. Opponents now have reams of data on every player, yet Bellingham continues to find space and finish with composure. His two goals against Norway came from a sublime left-footed strike outside the box and a near-post header from a corner. Against Mexico, he showed predator's instinct by pouncing on a loose ball and then converting a late penalty.

Why this matters for England

England have often lacked a clutch performer in knockout football. The class of 2026 already has one in Bellingham, who appears to raise his level when the stakes are highest. His partnership with Harry Kane — who is now up to 14 World Cup goals — gives Gareth Southgate's side a potent attacking duo. But it's Bellingham's ability to single-handedly change a game that separates this England team from its predecessors. With Lionel Messi (21 goals) and Kylian Mbappé (20 goals) still in the tournament and Erling Haaland (7 goals in 5 matches) also making an impact, this World Cup is witnessing a golden era of goalscoring. Yet no one is matching Bellingham's knockout efficiency.

What this means going forward

England will face either Brazil or Portugal in the semifinals, and stopping Bellingham will be the opposition's primary tactical objective. But as Mexico and Norway discovered, focusing too much on him can free space for Kane, Bukayo Saka, or Phil Foden. Bellingham's ability to drift between lines and arrive late in the box makes him almost impossible to mark for 90 minutes. If he continues this form, England may finally end their long wait for a second World Cup title. And Bellingham would have etched his name alongside the greatest to have graced the tournament.