Jude Bellingham has revealed the secret to England’s World Cup dreams – his mother scolding him.
Denise Bellingham has been ‘drilling into’ him all week to watch his language and reactions on the pitch.
The Real Madrid midfielder, who scored both goals in the 2-1 win over Norway on Saturday, said his mother’s warnings had helped him avoid another yellow card in the quarter-final fixture.
Bellingham had received a yellow card for a heavy challenge in the round of 32 match against DR Congo, so would have been suspended for Wednesday’s semi-final had he picked up another. After the quarter-finals, the slate is wiped clean to avoid cumulative cautions banning players from the final.
Speaking after the victory over Norway, Bellingham said: ‘My mum’s been telling me all week to watch my language, watch my tackles, watch my face, watch my emotions.
‘So, I think she drilled it into me all week about being careful of that yellow card.’ Bellingham, 23, has previously credited his mother, pictured with him below, with much of his success. He has described her as both his ‘queen’ and a ‘great laugh’.
During the World Cup in Qatar four years ago, he let slip that she still made his bed. She also came to the rescue when – on a trip to Spain with his former team Borussia Dortmund – he forgot his passport.
Meanwhile, Oasis’s hit 1995 song Wonderwall increased its listening figures by more than half after the Norway victory, figures show.
Bellingham said: ‘My mum’s been telling me all week to watch my language, watch my tackles, watch my face, watch my emotions.’ Jude pictured with his mum Denise
Bellingham celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal during the 2026 World Cup football tournament quarter-final match between Norway and England at Miami Stadium
The track has become an unofficial anthem for the England team after their wins during the 2026 World Cup, with the players lining up after matches to sing it back to supporters.
Fans and players belted out the Britpop tune after Saturday’s thrilling 2-1 victory, continuing a trend which started after England’s opening game, a 4-2 win over Croatia.
The Grammy-nominated track recorded a 51 per cent increase in listeners after England’s latest victory, compared with the same hour the previous day, according to data from Spotify. Now England face the old foe in Atlanta in the last-four of the 2026 World Cup, after both sides won their quarter-final matches on Saturday. After England’s victory, Argentina beat Switzerland 3-1, with both games going to extra time.
England and Argentina fans watched both matches together in bars along Miami’s Ocean Drive.
Camila Pilwala, 28, a dentist from Rio Negra in Patagonia, said: ‘We are so happy to be winning and we are looking forward to Wednesday when it is England’s turn to feel Messi’s magic.
‘I was not born when Maradona scored against England but everyone in Argentina knows about that match and maybe we will have some luck to do it again.
‘I think we will win again. England have not been strong and even Norway nearly beat them. We have Messi and he is unstoppable.’
