The 2022 Men’s World Cup moves forward with only eight nations left standing in the quarter-finals. Croatia, Brazil, Netherlands, Argentina, Morocco, Portugal, England, and France are all fighting to make the final four of the tournament, but who will make the semifinals?
The 2022 World Cup Quarter-finals
Croatia vs Brazil
The first quarter-final features a nation that is the favorite to win the competition, Brazil, and the team who finished as runners-up in 2018, Croatia. This match will feature two nations whose styles are distinctly different.
Brazil has a team that is probably the most talented in the tournament. In their Round of 16 matches, they beat down South Korea scoring four goals in just 36 minutes. Their front six becomes an attacking force anytime Brazil maintains possession, which is the majority of the time. They will look for similar success against a defensive powerhouse Croatia.
Croatia is a nation that loves to sit back and let its opponents tire themselves out trying to break them down. They are built to outlast their opponents and did just that in their Round of 16 games vs Japan, beating them in a penalty shootout. Their shootout prowess can only happen if the match can go 120 minutes long, can they stifle Brazil to get that advantage to the semifinal?
- Kickoff Time: Friday, Dec. 9, 10 am ET
Netherlands vs Argentina
The Soccer Gods produced another mouth-watering matchup in the quarter-finals. The Netherlands and Argentina meet in yet another high-stakes match at a World Cup. The two have met in the semifinals and even finals of World Cups of old, now is time for another chapter in their rivalry.
The Netherlands got to this point of the World Cup really without getting out of first gear. They coasted through their group and outclassed the USA side in the Round of 16. Their run of good form now stretches 19 games without a loss. Can their new-aged counter-pressing style of football beat a living-legend and free-flowing Argentina?
Argentina has one of the best players of all time, Lionel Messi. Messi has notably not won a World Cup, coming close in 2014 as a runner-up. This is likely his last hurrah with Argentina, so he and this Argentina side will look to make moments of brilliance against a Dutch side that will look to press them off the ball. After an early slip-up at this World Cup, losing to Saudi Arabia, Argentina hasn’t put a foot wrong, will we see them make a run to the semifinals?
- Kickoff Time: Friday, Dec. 9, 2 pm ET
Morocco vs Portugal
The lone cinderella of the 2022 World Cup Morocco has made an amazing run to the quarter-finals; European giants Portugal is undergoing a changing of the guard, and it’s producing great results. will we see a cinderella dance on, or a new wave of Portuguese power?
Morocco won their difficult group drawing Croatia and beating Belgium, and Canada. Taking the top spot of the group of death gave them loads of confidence heading into the Round of 16. They stifled a great Spain side who love to lull teams to sleep and pounce, forced penalties, and then dispatched the European giants. They’ll look to do the same to a Portugal side that is scoring goals for fun after a drastic personnel change.
Portugal made it through their Group but looked a bit shaky in the process. They won two of their three games, but they lacked the spark needed to get them to play at a high level. That spark came from their manager in the Round of 16 when he benched superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in favor of young striker Concalo Ramos. Ramos only went out and got a hat trick against Switzerland to book their spot in the quarter-finals. Will we see that same type of open play from Portugal against a more disciplined Morocco side?
- Kickoff Time: Saturday, Dec. 10, 10 am ET
England vs France
Yet another mouth-watering, high-stakes matchup is the final quarter-final; England vs France! The two longtime rivals meet for a place in the semifinals. Will the 2018 winners France move on, or can 2018 semifinalists England make a second consecutive final four?
England was one of the top five favorites to win this World Cup, and their play in this tournament has been extraordinary. Three dominating wins and a draw, with a +10 goal difference, see them at this quarter-final stage. A plethora of attacking talent and a defense that has stepped their game up is the strength of this England team. However, now they will need to handle one of the best teams, France, and one of the best players, Kylian Mbappe, to continue.
France is defending World Cup champions and has not really put a foot wrong in this tournament so far. They qualified for the knockout rounds after only two group-stage matches and beat down Poland in the Round of 16. Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappe have a combined eight goals and will lead France’s line against an England backline that is improved but not impenetrable. Which of these two European powerhouses will make the semifinals, and who will be the player that takes to this monumental moment?
- Kickoff Time: Saturday, Dec. 10, 2 pm ET
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