'Delighted' Dan Burn reflects on hard-fought England win as Three Lions roar into World Cup semi-finals

England progressed to the World Cup semi-finals last night with a tense victory over a resilient Norway side.

We had thought that Newcastle United's Dan Burn would have been in line to start this game given the injuries and suspensions, and the fact that Burn has form in keeping Erling Haaland quiet, but it wasn't meant to be.

It took extra time to separate the two teams after Norway had taken the lead in the first half via Andreas Schjelderup, but just before the half-time whistle, Jude Bellingham levelled things up.

It turns out that the goal shouldn't have stood as the ball hit a spider cam cable in the build-up, which knocked it into the path of Elliot Anderson, who then fed Anthony Gordon, who laid it on for Jude Bellingham.

That's how the score remained until early in the first half of extra time, when Jude Bellingham popped up to double his tally and send the Three Lions on their way.

Dan Burn got a 10-minute run-out in Miami

The searing heat was taking it out of the players, and with just 10 minutes left to play, Bellingham was hooked by Thomas Tuchel and on came Big Dan Burn to do what Big Dan Burn does. Being an aerial demon.

Burn made several big interventions as England held on to their lead, and at full time, the Newcastle United man spoke to The Chronicle about the art of winning dirty.

"I think we will be disappointed with the goal but I'm just happy that we've shown character to get through the game.

"I think that's what I mean. I don't think we've played at the top level we can yet, but I think we've shown that we can win lots of different ways. Lads coming into the team. I think you saw people were dead on their legs at the end there.

"But I'm delighted to go through. If we're going to want to win this thing, we're going to have to perform to the best of our ability."

It was all down to Dan Burn

Clearly, England only won because of Dan Burn. When you consider that he replaced Jude Bellingham, then technically the goals were his too. So well done, Dan Burn, you did the country proud.

In all seriousness, though, it's so amazing seeing the 34-year-old out there on the pitch for his country at a World Cup. Not only that, hearing the crowd roar every time he cuts out a cross or makes a block.

Burn was already popular amongst Newcastle fans, but it seems like the wider English football community has taken a shine to him too. We love it.