KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- At first glance, England's Jude Bellingham and Norway's Martin Ødegaard are vastly different footballers.
Real Madrid star Bellingham is the bullish powerhouse prone to the spectacular, so much so that he revealed aspirations to one day play James Bond.
Arsenal captain Ødegaard is the quiet conductor able to orchestrate games to his will, manipulating the ball and his opponents through a mastery of timing and precise passing. His favourite film is "Inception," the Christopher Nolan movie in which the lead characters attempt to navigate a world of dreams to achieve a seemingly impossible task. Guiding Norway to the World Cup quarterfinals might feel similar.
But whatever their differences, both players have endured a similar year or so as their national team's No. 10: maligned and questioned at every turn, yet now thriving at the biggest tournament of all. Saturday's clash between Norway and England in the searing Miami heat gives both the chance to extend this narrative into the final week of the World Cup.
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The difficult year
Bellingham's ascent is a credit to the 23-year-old's renewed application, but also a validation of England manager Thomas Tuchel's man-management skills. It is barely a year on from Tuchel describing how his mother found some of Bellingham's behaviour "repulsive," four months before dropping him from the England squad in October.
That move -- which came 48 hours after he was named England men's Player of the Year for 2024-45 -- was explained in part by a lack of game time following shoulder surgery, with Bellingham having started just one game in four appearances at the start of last season. But sources have told ESPN that the decision was more complicated and was a reflection of Tuchel's desire to clearly define a dressing room hierarchy that Bellingham would later be asked to fall in line with.
Bellingham last month admitted something that ESPN and many other outlets reported at the time: The England camp was fractured during their run to the final of the last men's European Championship in 2024.
"At the Euros, I think we got a few things wrong off the pitch. I don't feel the group connected as well as it could have for a number of reasons," he said.
Sources have told ESPN that Tuchel felt a reset was vital, and it is noticeable that the Three Lions boss regularly speaks about the "buy-in" that Bellingham now demonstrates.
Jude Bellingham scored two goals inside Mexico's six-yard box and made two vital interventions in England's win. (ESPN Global Soccer Research)
Bellingham came into the tournament with many doubting whether he should start ahead of Morgan Rogers, but that debate now feels laughable. His tally of four goals and one assist has taken the goal-scoring burden off Kane, but his work off the ball at this tournament demonstrates that commitment: a last-gasp clearance to stop Mexico equalizing on the stroke of halftime was as vital as anything he did at the other end of the pitch.
Bellingham is also palpably benefiting from being injury free. At the last Euros, he was playing with discomfort in his shoulder and a herniated disc, something Ødegaard could sympathise with given his own shoulder and knee problems restricted him to just 16 Premier League starts for Arsenal last season.
Ødegaard has faced criticism of his performances with the Gunners, leading to speculation he could be transferred this summer with two years remaining on his contract at Emirates Stadium. However, sources have told ESPN that Ødegaard is happy in north London, having just captained the club to its first Premier League title in 22 years.
Reports in Türkiye suggesting a move to Galatasaray had been discussed with his agent, Bjørn Tore Kvarme, in Istanbul were false: Sources say Kvarme has been in the U.S. following Ødegaard throughout the tournament.
Ødegaard's renaissance arguably began at the end of the domestic season with a title-defining contribution against West Ham United. Arsenal were facing a 0-0 draw in a game they had to win before Ødegaard came off the bench to inject some desperately needed creativity, finding Leandro Trossard in the box for a winning goal that didn't mathematically seal the title race against Manchester City but effectively ended all doubt.
Sources have told ESPN that Ødegaard would phone Norway coach Ståle Solbakken most weeks with updates on his fitness throughout last season, and his country has certainly benefited. Leaving aside a sluggish display against Iraq, Ødegaard has provided three assists at the World Cup so far, a tally bettered only by France's Michael Olise, Morocco's Brahim Díaz and Brazil's Bruno Guimarães.
Within the Norway squad, he has made more sprints (229) than anyone and only Sander Berge has covered more ground than his 47,542 meters. His influential performance in the 2-1 win over Brazil in the previous round was arguably his best in several months.
No. 10 + No. 9
Sources have told ESPN that former England boss Gareth Southgate once sat Bellingham and Kane together for a video session in an attempt to foster a greater understanding between the pair.
Although it has never been publicly confirmed, sources suggest there was tension between the pair previously. When Bellingham crossed for Kane to score against Panama in England's final Group L match, it was the first time one had assisted the other since facing Scotland in September 2023.
Their partnership has blossomed at this tournament, so much so they now copy each other's trademark goal celebrations -- Kane's jump and downward arm thrust and Bellingham's slow outstretched arms -- and pour praise on each other in media interviews.
At the last Euros, Bellingham featured in an Adidas commercial in which he walked on water. This time, he refers to Kane as "King" and has channelled his inner confidence into a series of displays that are rightly earning comparisons with some of England's all-time greats. In a tournament where many of the big players have come to the fore, Bellingham and Kane have created a partnership that is threatening to conquer the world.
Martin Ødegaard has completed 90.1% of his 263 passes so far this World Cup. (ESPN Global Soccer Research)
Few have the reputation and pedigree to match them, but one such man waiting for them in Miami is Erling Haaland. The Manchester City striker -- who has won the Premier League Golden Boot in three of the past four seasons -- has been in equally devastating form for Norway, scoring seven times including both goals against Brazil.
Despite both being football prodigies, Ødegaard and Haaland are not natural bedfellows. Sources have told ESPN they are different characters who were not immediately close when initially joining up together with their national team. The intense rivalry between City and Arsenal will not have helped.
But sources say both players recognised a need to put any domestic animosity behind them and Ødegaard made a concerted effort to forge a closer bond in his capacity as Norway captain. The pair are now said to enjoy a strong relationship.
Tactical evolution
Tuchel has found a system which is enabling Bellingham to thrive. Operating as a No. 10 in possession but switching to a 4-4-2 alongside Kane without the ball, Bellingham is in a place where he can impact the game in both situations.
That goal-line clearance against Mexico will live long in the memory, but it was symptomatic of an all-action display: Bellingham was engaged in 16 duels at Azteca Stadium, a figure only surpassed by Anthony Gordon (21) on either team. England had just six shots against Mexico, three of which came from Bellingham with two finding the net.
Solbakken claimed earlier this week that Ødegaard "hasn't played a single game as a pure 10 with me" since he became Norway head coach in 2020. In the same way that Bellingham is now more engaged out of possession, Solbakken spoke of Ødegaard's responsibility to set Norway's press and he is given the freedom to dictate whether they operate in a 4-1-4-1 shape or a 4-4-2 without the ball. Solbakken added that Ødegaard "reads the play and sets the tone," something Brazil found to their cost.
Vinícius Júnior, who played with Ødegaard at Real Madrid, said after Brazil's exit that Norway "surprised us," adding: "They controlled the game as Ødegaard always does, and we couldn't figure out the timing to press them and win the ball back."
Leadership skills
Southgate made Bellingham part of the leadership group at Euro 2024. Sources say this was in part an effort to keep him onside, but the move may have contributed to the now publicly-admitted tensions within the group. Aged just 21 at the time, that role probably came too soon.
Tuchel has established a hierarchy with Kane wearing the armband and Declan Rice promoted to vice-captain. And two years on, Bellingham is now establishing himself as one of England's leaders in a practical sense, with his performances on and off the ball, committing himself to the team yet still producing those individual magic moments in the final third.
Ødegaard has long been the leader of Arsenal and Norway, the latter since Solbakken made his skipper in 2021. Ødegaard has embraced the responsibility of leading Norway into their first World Cup for 28 years.
Sources suggest Ødegaard was involved in Norway's decision to bring some organic food with them to the U.S., and he has been credited with setting high-performance standards and improving relations between players and staff. The squad saw videos of fans celebrating in Times Square and felt they should replicate the 'Viking Row' themselves -- and did so after beating Senegal 3-2 to secure a place in the knockout rounds. Ødegaard banged the drum which set the rhythm for all players and fans to follow.
Respect from teammates
The respect for both players from their teammates shines through and remains impervious to any external criticism.
Morgan Rogers has known Bellingham since they grew up in the West Midlands in Halesowen and Stourbridge respectively, towns separated by a single six-mile bus route. Bellingham and Rogers may be vying for the same place in Tuchel's starting XI but the pair share a seemingly unbreakable bond that stops that personal competition developing into anything complicated. In fact, Rogers has insisted all along that Bellingham would thrive at this World Cup.
"I told you all that before, I said that he would," Rogers reminded everyone at a news conference on Wednesday. "I'm not surprised and neither is anyone in the squad of how he's played, how he's performed, how he's taken big key moments in games."
"Even the game the other night, we probably didn't start the game how we would have liked and in the space of five minutes he's put his fingerprints on the game and kind of taken hold of the game. That's the type of player he is and that's the type of player you need in big moments in tough environments, tough atmospheres.
"We're not surprised. I don't think anyone else should be surprised, really. He keeps on doing it time and time again."
England's Bukayo Saka seemed genuinely shocked when it was put to him on Thursday that his Arsenal teammate Ødegaard's role for Norway had still been questioned by the more cynical and impatient fans at home. "Benched?" he asked in response. "For Norway? That's crazy. But ... no comment from myself. That's the manager's decision. But he's shown why he should play."
Saka revealed he had "briefly" made contact with his club captain in the build-up to the game "but we know we're both focused on doing the best for our countries -- everyone knows how much quality Martin has and what he can bring into the game."
On Saturday in Miami, both No. 10s are sure to be at the centre of the action.