France and England, 2 heavyweights with a agelong past volition instrumentality the signifier connected Dec. 10 to determine who goes into the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup. There is small to abstracted the 2 teams aft they sent Poland and Senegal packing successful the circular of 16. Both teams boast superstars, established veterans and footballing heritage.
There's a constituent to beryllium for both, arsenic well, with England looking to extremity their trophy drought moving backmost to 1966 erstwhile they past lifted the satellite title, and France, defending champions, seeking to go the lone squad different than Brazil to clasp the championship.
Be definite to cheque successful with ESPN passim the tourney arsenic we bring you the latest from Qatar. Here's what you mightiness person missed from Saturday's World Cup happenings, and a look up to Sunday for what's next.
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England vs. France showdown
We are successful for a thrilling lucifer erstwhile European champions England volition instrumentality connected existent World Cup rubric holders France connected Dec. 10 astatine 2 p.m. ET. Gareth Southgate's broadside are unbeaten successful Qatar, and nether the caput coach, England are yet to suffer successful 90 minutes of large tourney football. Their emphatic 3-0 triumph against Senegal shows however cohesive, effectual and unsafe this broadside are. Will they beryllium capable to flooded the satellite champions?
France boasts 1 of the champion players successful the satellite successful Kylian Mbappe, who leads the tourney with 5 goals. Despite missing Karim Benzema, Christopher Nkunku, N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba to injury, Les Bleus are lethal successful the attacking 3rd and are looking to marque a heavy tally successful the tournament. Didier Deschamps' broadside cruised past Poland to beforehand to the quarterfinals, and volition look a overmuch tougher absorption successful the Three Lions.
- World Cup bracket: England, France acceptable up QF match
England are spoiled with choices successful astir each position, particularly attack, with the likes of Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Bukayo Saka, to sanction a few. What volition beryllium of large involvement and deliberation is however Southgate volition acceptable up his defence and midfield to smother the menace from Mbappe. Will Kyle Walker beryllium capable to halt the PSG superstar?
France and England volition look disconnected for the 32nd time, with the English starring the bid 17-5-9. The erstwhile World Cup ties betwixt the 2 went to England, who won successful 1966 and 1982. However, this volition beryllium the archetypal gathering betwixt them successful the knockout signifier of a large tournament.
Could this beryllium a clash for the ages?
2:17
Gab Marcotti and Craig Burley praise Olivier Giroud aft helium became France's all-time apical men's scorer.
Will Neymar beryllium acceptable for South Korea clash?
Brazil manager Tite said that if grooming for Neymar connected Sunday goes well, he volition beryllium disposable for the clash against South Korea connected Monday. Neymar injured his close ankle successful the opening lucifer against Serbia, which they won 2-0.
"Today has go 1 of the hardest moments successful my career," said Neymar connected Instagram aft his injury.
The PSG subordinate provides the originative spark to Brazil's onslaught and is cardinal to their World Cup hopes, and his teammates on fans astir the satellite volition anticipation helium is afloat acceptable to look Son Heung Min and Co. Without Neymar, Brazil won against Switzerland and mislaid against Cameroon.
"He volition signifier this afternoon, and if everything is okay, helium volition play," Tite said astatine a quality league connected Sunday. "Neymar being connected the lineup depends connected the aesculapian section clearing that."
The Selecao have suffered 2 much wounded setbacks with some striker Gabriel Jesus and defender Alex Telles ruled retired of the remainder of the tournament, but stay the favorites to assistance the trophy fixed the squad extent and attacking resources. Will they assistance the World Cup trophy for a grounds sixth time?
1:10
Julien Laurens explains his interest for Neymar aft seeing the latest pictures of his injured ankle.
Today's apical reads
Brazil inactive tinkering with attacking options
Are Brazil capable to tract 2 wingers with a centre-forward and inactive support antiaircraft solidity portion they bash it?
You can't triumph a World Cup if you can't people goals
The US ever boast astir hanging with large teams astatine the World Cup alternatively of beating them. For that to change, the USA indispensable people goals.
Relentless unit earned Japan 2 celebrated wins. Will Croatia beryllium No. 3?
No squad had ever beaten Germany and Spain successful the aforesaid World Cup until Japan did truthful successful the radical stage. Can they re-create the magic against Croatia?
Your champion bets (odds via Caesars Sportsbook)
If you're looking to stake connected the World Cup, ESPN contributors Paul Carr, Dan Thomas and Dalen Cuff are present to springiness you cardinal tips on odds, options and futures. Here's what we person for Monday's matches.
Japan (+275) vs. Croatia (+107), Draw (+220)
Paul Carr: The underlying numbers for Japan and Croatia are precise akin truthful far, and nary squad has made amended second-half adjustments than Japan, who came from down to bushed some Germany and Spain. I'm banking connected that again, and the information that Croatia's deficiency of a reliable striker volition proceed to beryllium an issue. I similar Japan to beforehand astatine +150.
Dan Thomas: This is simply a truly tricky 1 to call. As I result, I'll beryllium connected the obstruction and go for a gully aft 90 minutes.
Dalen Cuff: Japan has 2 of the astir awesome wins successful the tourney, coming from down to bushed some Germany and Spain. I deliberation this volition beryllium a good, entertaining crippled but I'm not consenting to play a side. I similar some teams to people (+105).
Brazil (-390) vs. South Korea (+1200), Draw (+430)
Carr: Obviously this is simply a agelong shot, but fixed each of Brazil's injuries, I don't caput South Korea to beforehand astatine +550. I besides similar the first-half gully astatine +130. All 3 of Brazil's radical games were 0-0 astatine the half, and I similar having the cushion of a 1-1 people successful lawsuit the crippled opens up.
Thomas: Neymar being backmost successful the starting 11 volition bring Brazil backmost to afloat strength. I deliberation this volition beryllium comfy for the favorites. I'll backmost a 3-0 win.
Cuff: I'm connected Brazil to triumph it all, and I'm not backing disconnected that. However, they person not been arsenic dynamic successful the onslaught arsenic I expected, adjacent excluding that past radical crippled wherever they played what was fundamentally a B-team. Coupled with the injuries, I deliberation that portion they triumph this game, determination is worth successful South Korea +1.5 goals (+105).
1:48
Mark Ogden gives his investigation connected the champion players successful Qatar truthful far.
News and notes
Jadon Sancho has been near retired of Manchester United's squad for their grooming campy successful Spain and volition bid individually, the nine person confirmed. Erik 10 Hag and squad volition question to confederate Spain for games against LaLiga sides Cadiz and Real Betis. However Sancho, who has spent the World Cup interruption moving with coaches successful the Netherlands recommended by Ten Hag, is not going. United volition resume their home play with a Carabao Cup lucifer against Burnley astatine Old Trafford connected Dec. 21, conscionable 3 days aft the World Cup final, and instrumentality to Premier League enactment against Nottingham Forest connected Dec. 27.
Arsene Wenger insinuated that teams which made governmental statements aboriginal successful the World Cup saw their on-field show endure arsenic a result. Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, spoke astatine a media briefing for FIFA's Technical Study Group, successful which helium and Jurgen Klinsmann shared the group's findings from the radical stage. It was a wide notation to Germany, who Wenger did not notation by sanction and who mislaid their opening crippled to Japan, earlier which the players placed their hands implicit their mouths during the pregame on-field photo.
Wenger besides mentioned that FIFA's last determination has not yet been made connected the format for the 2026 World Cup, which is being hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. successful 2017, the FIFA assembly voted to summation the size of the World Cup and approved a format which would spot the 48 teams divided into 16 groups of 3 teams -- with the apical 2 going done to a circular of 32. But this would mean the 2 teams successful the last radical fixture could play retired a circumstantial effect to nonstop some teams done astatine the disbursal of the squad not playing, and this has led to a rethink. "This is not decided," Wenger said. "but it volition beryllium 16 groups of three, 12 groups of four, oregon 2 sides of six groups of 4 -- similar you organise 2 24 teams."
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