Jude Bellingham injury fears grow as video of England star after Norway game surfaces

Jude Bellingham has showcased the best of British football during the 2026 World Cup - but there are fears he might not be fighting fit for the semi-final.

England will take on Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday (15 July) after the lads bagged a 2-1 win over Norway over the weekend, much to the jubilation of fans of the Three Lions.

Both of these goals, which secured the team's place in the semis, came from Bellingham, however, footage showing him appearing to struggle physically after the final whistle has sparked concerns about a possible injury.

The Real Madrid midfielder, 23, has hit the back of the net six times during this year's World Cup, cementing his place as an England icon.

Although he didn't seem too happy to hear his boss Thomas Tuchel's assessment of the lads' 'sloppy' performance on the pitch against Norway, he described his teammates as 'warriors' and spoke of how proud he was.

"Character, perseverance - even when things weren’t working, we found a way to win the game again," Bellingham said after Saturday's (11 July) win.

"Whether it’s in 90 or 120 [minutes], we will give everything we have got. Whoever was ready to come on, came on and smashed it. I’m so proud of this team again, to be in a World Cup semi-final.

"It is a victory for everyone. The whole country is behind us. All the players and staff who are here, credit to them all. A huge shift by everyone."

While he has been gearing up to put another serious shift in on Wednesday, reports have been emerging suggesting that he might not be in tip-top shape.

Argentinian media outlets have been lapping up this speculation and several have claimed that Bellingham is battling a shoulder injury.

Footage has been circulating online which appears to show the Stourbridge-born football star clutching his shoulder while looking uncomfortable as he prepared to talk to the press after beating Norway.

On top of this, an image showing Bellingham holding his shoulder in a similar fashion while conversing with Tuchel on the pitch has fuelled further speculation about his current condition.

According to TyC Sports, the England team's medical staff are 'closely monitoring' him ahead of the high-stakes clash against Argentina - although it is claimed he is still set to be in the starting 11.

The publication also suggested that if push comes to shove, Bellingham might play the game while wearing a bandage for support, as he has done while making appearances in the past.

Another Argentinian outlet, Ole, reported that the midfielder might have possibly had a run-in with a Norwegian defender during the quarter-final clash.

Bellingham is said to have been seen chatting to England's physiotherapist Steve Kemp on the sidelines during a hydration break after this alleged collision, before he then spoke to Tuchel while grasping his left shoulder.

A sore shoulder is something which the ace has been dealing with since November 2023, which was a result of him taking a tumble during a LaLiga match with Rayo Vallecano.

In a YouTube video which he uploaded earlier this year, Bellingham described this injury as the 'most painful' experience he has ever been through. According to Real Madrid, doctors diagnosed him with 'anterior instability of the left shoulder', which was 'a consequence of his dislocation'.

Bellingham played through the pain during Euro 2024 and the Club World Cup, but finally underwent surgery on his shoulder in London last year.

He previously told fans he had been 'really worried' about the outcome of the procedure, which thankfully went well.

"Really worried, you know, about everything that could go wrong," Bellingham said. "Really, most anxious I've been about anything. The hardest feeling I've had before something, I'd say.

"It's more the instability of knowing that if I land funny, it can always come out. The thing I'm most looking forward to is being able to play without a brace again."

Bellingham then added: "The one against Rayo Vallecano felt worse than the normal ones, probably the most painful thing I've been through at the time.

"It stayed out for a while and I couldn't get it back in myself, which I'd been able to do before the previous times. It felt like an eternity before the physios got it back in... it was a horrible experience."

Here's to hoping the rumours that his shoulder is giving him some gyp again aren't true then, eh?

If England win the World Cup, do we get a bank holiday?

Now that the Three Lions have made it to the semi-finals of the World Cup, thoughts have turned to the possibility that football really could be coming home - and what better way to celebrate England’s success than a day off work?

Outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously hinted at the prospect of a bank holiday if Thomas Tuchel’s side win the tournament.

“On the question of a bank holiday, I think I don't want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final,” he told reporters at a Nato conference on 8 July.

With the final taking place on Sunday (19 July), it’s believed that the celebratory bank holiday would likely fall on the following Friday (24 July).

Only time will tell!