Merson: Teams win leagues, X-factor wins World Cups – and Bellingham has it

Jude Bellingham’s double against Norway did more than secure England’s place in the World Cup semi-finals. It confirmed what many suspected after his performances in the group stage: England now have two players with the kind of tournament-defining influence that can tilt a World Cup.

Bellingham’s moment arrives

For months, the debate centred on whether Bellingham or Morgan Rogers would start for England. That discussion now feels absurd. Bellingham, 23, has already played 50 times for his country and delivered in knockout football at Real Madrid. Against Norway, he did it again. The two goals made him the first England player since Harry Kane in 2018 to score at least five goals in a single World Cup. His six tournament goals place him alongside Lineker in 1986 and Kane in 2018 as the only Englishmen to reach that mark in a single finals.

Paul Merson, never one to mince words, put it plainly: “Teams win leagues. X-factor wins tournaments.” England, he argued, now have that X-factor in abundance with Bellingham and Kane. The semi-final against Argentina will test that claim, but the stage is set.

Kane’s burden, Bellingham’s freedom

Kane, England’s captain and record scorer, had an uncharacteristically quiet afternoon against Norway. Merson called it “an off day,” but the bigger story was Bellingham’s response. The Real Madrid midfielder’s movement for the second goal—shifting inside before darting outside to meet the rebound—highlighted why he thrives in these moments. He’s a player who makes the decisive intervention when others hesitate.

That contrast matters. Kane’s role is to anchor, to punish mistakes, to convert chances. Bellingham’s is to create chaos. Together, they offer England a balance no other side can match. Merson described Bellingham as “a proper, proper footballer,” a nod to his technical quality and big-game pedigree. At 23, he’s already on the path to greatness for his country.

What comes next

The semi-final against Argentina represents more than a match; it’s a referendum on England’s tournament credentials. Argentina, finalists in 2022, will bring their own X-factor in Lionel Messi’s creativity and Julián Álvarez’s pressing. England’s ability to control midfield will depend on Bellingham’s capacity to dictate tempo and Kane’s efficiency in front of goal.

Merson’s point is simple: tournaments are won by players who can change games single-handedly. Bellingham has done that twice in this World Cup. If he does it again in the semi-final, England’s 60-year wait for a World Cup title could be over.

For now, though, the focus remains on the present. Bellingham’s goals have given England hope. Whether that hope turns into history will depend on how he and Kane handle the next 90 minutes.