Bellingham's brace seals England's win but shoulder concern follows him off the pitch

Jude Bellingham delivered a match-winning brace in England’s 2-1 World Cup quarter-final victory over Norway, but footage circulating after the game has prompted Spanish media to raise fresh concerns about a shoulder injury the Real Madrid midfielder has been managing since last summer.

Bellingham was seen applying pressure to his shoulder during a hydration break mid-match, appearing to discuss the issue with head coach Thomas Tuchel. After the final whistle, Spanish outlet Diario AS captured him stretching and then clutching at his shoulder blade as he approached reporters in the mixed zone.

The 23-year-old missed Real Madrid’s first four La Liga fixtures of the 2025/26 season following a procedure on the same shoulder, and Saturday’s images have revived questions about whether the problem has fully resolved. Bellingham himself gave no indication of being hampered during the match, taking his tournament tally to six goals with two clinical finishes against a Norway side that included Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard, Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sørloth.

The injury concern, however, was quickly overshadowed by a public disagreement between Bellingham and Tuchel. The England manager described his side’s performance as “sloppy, lucky” and not good enough “in every sense”. When Bellingham was informed of those remarks, he pushed back pointedly.

“Yeah, well. Whatever, whatever. It’s difficult out there. It’s a tough shift,” Bellingham said. “All the players are putting in a very tough shift. My thoughts and appreciation goes to the players who were out there and put in a great shift yet again. Maybe he doesn’t know what it is like to play in those kind of conditions against Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard, Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sorloth. That’s not an easy team to play against.”

England now face Argentina in the semi-finals, after the South Americans progressed past Switzerland in extra time. With Bellingham the undisputed focal point of England’s attack, his fitness between now and that fixture will be closely monitored — both by the medical staff and by Real Madrid, who will be watching developments from afar.