Wednesday is the archetypal remainder time of the World Cup and with that, a bully accidental to bespeak connected the idiosyncratic brilliance we've seen truthful acold this wintertime successful Qatar. The last 8 teams are acceptable to conflict Friday and Saturday, but with the Round of 16 meaning we're past the midway constituent of the competition, we're looking astatine the standout players earlier we preview the quarterfinals.
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Which players person stood retired to our writers? Are determination immoderate statement choices? A enactment of ESPN reporters successful Qatar prime retired their XIs and managers that person been the speech of the municipality acknowledgment to their superb play.
Gab Marcotti
(4-3-3 formation)
GK: Dominik Livakovic (Croatia)
DF: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Nathan Ake (Holland), Marquinhos (Brazil), Theo Hernandez (France)
MF: Enzo Fernandez (Argentina), Sofiyan Amrabat (Morocco), Jude Bellingham (England)
FW: Kylian Mbappe (France), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Vinicius Jr (Brazil)
Manager: Fernando Santos (Portugal)
Santos made a immense call, the benignant that galore of america didn't judge helium had successful him: He dropped Cristiano Ronaldo, and helium was vindicated with a 6-1 triumph implicit Switzerland that sends Portugal into the quarterfinals. But adjacent earlier that, Portugal qualified aboriginal from the radical signifier with a squad that is precise talented, but possibly not arsenic balanced arsenic they mightiness be.
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Livakovic was the leader of the punishment shoot-out against Japan, but helium besides conceded conscionable erstwhile successful the radical stage. That's wherefore helium gets the motion implicit guys similar Brazil's Alisson and Morocco's Yassine Bounou. (Of course, the second besides was the leader of a punishment shootout and besides conceded conscionable erstwhile successful the radical stage, but helium besides missed a game, truthful I'll springiness it to Livakovic.)
I don't deliberation anybody volition reason with Hakimi astatine right-back, portion down the left, Hernandez has been precise businesslike and gives France an other attacker erstwhile successful possession. (I would person loved to person included Danilo, but he's a unfortunate of his versatility, having played connected some flanks).
In midfield, Amrabat is the beating bosom of this Morocco team, with his show against Spain successful the Round of 16 genuinely 1 for the ages. Bellingham has contributed goals, vigor and prime and makes England little stodgy. My 3rd slot goes to Enzo Fernandez conscionable up of Casemiro (don't privation to person excessively galore antiaircraft midfielders), Adrien Rabiot (wonderfully two-way successful this France midfield) and Frenkie de Jong (the glue successful the Dutch set-up).
I would presume Mbappe is simply a unanimous choice, truthful nary request to reason there. Messi turned successful what Lionel Scaloni called his champion show successful a World Cup for Argentina against Australia -- that has to mean something. Rounding it out, I'll spell with Vinicius (hard arsenic it is to prime retired idiosyncratic successful that Brazil attack) simply due to the fact that of the advancement he's made implicit the past 18 months and the mode he's increasing arsenic a leader.
1:25
Gab Marcotti praises Morocco for their triumph vs. Spain but criticises Luis Enrique for his tactical decisions successful the loss.
Julien Laurens
(4-2-3-1 formation)
GK: Yassine Bounou (Morocco)
DF: Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands), Nayef Aguerd (Morocco), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Theo Hernandez (France)
MF: Jude Bellingham (England), Adrien Rabiot (France); Hakim Ziyech (Morocco), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Kylian Mbappe (France)
FW: Richarlison (Brazil)
Manager: Walid Regragui (Morocco)
This World Cup has been a World Cup of shocks and idiosyncratic brilliance much than of corporate strength. It has been astir the superstars to immoderate extent, but besides the guys we expected possibly little of astatine this level and who person amazed us. My squad reflects each of that.
In goal, Allison inactive hasn't conceded a azygous extremity successful the 3 games helium has played truthful far, and helium has looked chill and composed since helium arrived successful Qatar. Plus, his look is awesome!
I americium playing with a backmost 4 and 2 precise attacking full-backs successful Dumfries connected the close and Theo connected the left. Dumfries is simply a subordinate built for large tournaments: we saw it astatine the past European Championships, and we're seeing it again successful Qatar. His show against the US successful the Round of 16 was peculiarly stunning. Theo is the champion attacking near back/wing backmost successful the satellite close now. He has been decisive for France already, and defensively, he's been precise solid, too.
- Bounou is the calm beingness down Morocco's World Cup success
In the centre, I've chosen a brace of left-footed centre-backs, which is not a occupation due to the fact that they person been that bully truthful far. Aguerd has been a stone with Morocco portion Gvardiol is for maine the champion defender astatine this tourney truthful far, and he's inactive lone 20 years of age.
My midfield 2 are unexpected stars of this World Cup. We knew however talented Bellingham was, but to spot him astatine 19 being 1 of the champion present is incredible. Next to him, Rabiot has had to hold for his accidental astatine the planetary level, but with the injuries to Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kanté, helium stepped up massively and has been outstanding some with and without the ball. Also, I similar my cardinal midfielders to complement each other, particularly 1 right-footer and 1 left-footer.
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My beforehand 4 has virtually everything: pace, skill, vision, experience, youth, efficiency, charisma, creation moves and celebrations. Mbappe is successful there, of course, arsenic the champion subordinate successful the satellite close now. Messi has been magnificent too, with some stars carrying their teams truthful far. Richarlison up beforehand has scored 1 of the goals of the tourney (although his archetypal interaction connected it was possibly not-great, ha) and has played with truthful overmuch intensity. On the right, Ziyech has been superb with Morocco. Considering the small crippled clip helium had with Chelsea this play and that helium was retired of the nationalist squad for a while, it is simply a recognition to his talent.
Cody Gakpo and Hakimi were unlucky not to marque it, but they would beryllium my archetypal subs disconnected the seat against immoderate opponent.
Finally, the caput manager of this ace squad is Walid Regragui. In a abbreviated abstraction of clip since taking implicit Vahid Halilhodzic and aft having nary acquisition astatine this level -- helium lone managed successful Rabat, Casablanca and Al-Duhail -- the Paris-born and bred tactician has done an astonishing occupation with his Morocco side.
1:15
Alex Kirkland reacts to Portugal's 6-1 triumph implicit Switzerland successful the past 16 of the World Cup.
Mark Ogden
(4-3-3 formation)
GK: Wojciech Szczesny (Poland)
DF: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), John Stones (England), Thiago Silva (Brazil), Aziz Behich (Australia)
MF: Jude Bellingham (England), Casemiro (Brazil), Bruno Fernandes (Portugal)
FW: Kylian Mbappe (France), Richarlison (Brazil), Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Manager: Louis van Gaal (Netherlands)
My Best XI truthful acold is simply a blend of the champion players successful Qatar, but besides those who person performed beyond each expectations and shone connected the biggest signifier of all.
The enactment of Australia's Behich astatine left-back is simply a lawsuit successful point. The 31-year-old has had an unremarkable vocation and plays for Dundee United, the last-place squad successful the Scottish Premiership, but helium has had the tourney of his beingness successful Qatar and would person scored a wonderment extremity against Argentina, were it not for a last-ditch situation by Lisandro Martinez.
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In goal, Szczesny has been a prima and was arsenic important to Poland making the Round of 16 arsenic striker Robert Lewandowski, portion astatine full-back, Morocco's Hakimi has been outstanding. There person been galore apical centre-halves, including France's Raphael Varane and Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly, but Stones and Thiago Silva person stood retired with their consistency.
In midfield, Bellingham has been 1 of the stars of the tournament, portion Casemiro has been the stone connected which Brazil's signifier has been built. Further forward, Bruno Fernandes has had an fantabulous World Cup with Portugal.
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Two of the beforehand 3 -- Mbappe and Messi -- prime themselves aft their heroics truthful far, but the 3rd prime is Richarlison, who has shouldered the goalscoring load for Brazil during Neymar's wounded lay-off. As for the coach, it tin lone beryllium Louis van Gaal. Now 71 and lone precocious recovered from prostate cancer, Van Gaal has utilized each of his acquisition and tactical cognition to instrumentality a constricted Netherlands squad to the quarterfinals. With him successful charge, the Dutch volition surely person a tactical masterplan that could instrumentality them each the way.
1:50
Mark Ogden thinks England look stronger than France, Brazil and Argentina aft the 3-0 triumph against Senegal.
James Olley
(4-2-3-1 formation)
GK: Wojciech Szczesny (Poland
DF: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands), Theo Hernandez (France)
MF: Jude Bellingham (England), Casemiro (Brazil); Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Kylian Mbappe (France)
FW: Richarlison (Brazil)
Manager: Louis van Gaal (Netherlands)
For the astir part, the pick has risen to the apical successful Qatar. While Germany and Belgium suffered astonishment aboriginal exits anterior to Morocco knocking retired Spain successful the Round of 16, 7 heavyweights person made it done to the quarterfinals and my squad to this constituent is mostly a reflection of that.
There are a mates of exceptions, however. Szczesny's idiosyncratic redemption communicative deserves peculiar mention, having been sent disconnected for Poland astatine Euro 2012 earlier becoming the archetypal goalkeeper to people an ain extremity astatine past summer's delayed Euros. He was superb earlier Poland's last-16 exit to Argentina, portion Hakimi has been a driving unit successful Morocco's stunning tally to the quarterfinals: his impudent Panenka punishment epitomised the quality helium has shown throughout.
From here, the much accepted tourney powerhouses instrumentality over. Croatia, semifinalists 4 years ago, are successful the quarters successful nary tiny portion to Gvardiol's ascendant presence. Van Dijk has been arsenic resolute for the Netherlands, portion Theo Hernandez has 2 assists from 3 games for France aft replacing his older member Lucas, who sustained a tournament-ending genu ligament wounded successful lucifer one.
Casemiro has fixed Brazil a level of in-game power that astir nary different squad has astatine these finals truthful far, portion Jude Bellingham is threatening to go this World Cup's breakout prima astatine conscionable 19 years old. Gakpo's scoring prowess -- and helium tin play arsenic a right-winger, thankfully for my enactment -- has fired Netherlands this far, portion Messi has carried the hopes of a federation with undeniable resilience.
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Mbappe has 5 goals from 4 games and is staking his assertion to specify this tourney successful his ain image, but the mode successful which Richarlison has stepped up for Brazil, peculiarly successful Neymar's lack and Gabriel Jesus' genu injury, makes Tite's broadside superior contenders erstwhile more. A regret present is not uncovering a spot for Bruno Fernandes, seemingly present backmost to his champion for Portugal.
Van Gaal's heart-warming communicative is hard to overlook, but much than that, helium appears to person devised a gameplan that makes a non-vintage Netherlands broadside look menacing.
1:55
Ale Moreno recaps Brazil's emphatic 4-1 triumph implicit South Korea successful the FIFA World Cup circular of 16.
Tom Hamilton
(4-3-3 formation)
GK: Wojciech Szczesny (Poland
DF: Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Lisandro Martinez (Argentina), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Aziz Behich (Australia)
MF: Jude Bellingham (England), Casemiro (Brazil), Bruno Fernandes (Portugal)
FW: Lionel Messi (Argentina), Richarlison (Brazil), Kylian Mbappe (France)
Manager: Walid Regragui (Morocco)
With Regragui arsenic manager, this squad has the quality to power seamlessly betwixt formations, and play connected the antagonistic arsenic good arsenic the beforehand foot. Szczesny has been the standout keeper astatine this World Cup, portion the backmost 4 has the brilliance of some fullbacks anchored by the workrate and tenacity of the 2 centre-backs. Martinez and Gvardiol are watertight, with Hakimi and Behich some superb connected the flanks. Thiago Silva is unlucky to miss out, arsenic is Theo Hernandez.
Casemiro anchors the midfield, allowing Bruno Fernandes and Bellingham to propulsion forward. All 3 person been majestic successful Qatar, and though Antoine Griezmann and Amrabat are unlucky to miss out, I'd person them connected the bench.
The forwards were pugnacious to pick. Leaving retired Gakpo is brutal, but ideate Messi pulling the strings with Mbappe and Richarlison -- the second has scored the 2 champion goals of the tourney -- moving disconnected him. No squad tin halt that.
Finally, Morocco's Regragui is the manager of the tourney truthful far... conscionable up of Van Gaal.
1:46
Luis Echegaray is impressed by Jude Bellingham's show successful the England circular of 16 triumph against Senegal.
Rob Dawson
(4-3-3 formation)
GK: Emiliano Martinez (Argentina)
DF: Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands), Harry Souttar (Australia), Josko Gvardiol (Croatia), Alphonso Davies (Canada)
MF: Declan Rice (England), Tyler Adams (USA), Jude Bellingham (England)
FW: Mohammed Kudus (Ghana), Olivier Giroud (France), Kylian Mbappe (France)
Manager: Gareth Southgate (England)
Players similar Mbappe and Bellingham prime themselves due to the fact that they were outstanding successful the radical stages. Mbappe has astir apt been the subordinate of the tourney truthful far. Martinez has softly been precise awesome for Argentina, and adjacent though the absorption has evidently been connected Lionel Messi, the Aston Villa goalkeeper has made immoderate important saves astatine cardinal times to support them successful the competition.
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Gvardiol, lone 20, is portion of a caller question of endowment coming done with Croatia, and his performances astatine centre-back merit a mention.
Two players going location aboriginal are Adams and Kudus, but they tin some beryllium arrogant of what they achieved successful Qatar. Adams' vigor and workrate successful midfield for the United States was incredible, and helium was 1 of the reasons they were the amended squad successful their gully with England. Kudus, meanwhile, did arsenic overmuch arsenic anyone to effort to get Ghana implicit the enactment and into the knockout rounds. He terrorised Portugal for a spell successful their archetypal crippled and past scored doubly successful the 3-2 triumph implicit South Korea.
Declan Rice has been successful Bellingham's shadiness successful England's midfield, but he's been truthful assured successful beforehand of Gareth Southgate's backmost 4 that he's hardly been noticed.
Up front, determination person been immoderate bully performances from much accepted No.9s contempt it being a relation that's astir wholly retired of fashion. Spain's Alvaro Morata scored 3 goals successful 3 games successful the radical stage, but he's conscionable edged retired by Giroud, who has shown successful Qatar that determination is inactive a spot for a strong, aerial centre forward.
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