In a World Cup that has seen immoderate upsets and stunners, we had our biggest yet! Brazil, led by Neymar and the favorites to triumph it each successful Qatar, was eliminated successful the quarterfinals by Croatia connected penalties. Now, the 2018 World Cup runners-up purpose to oust Lionel Messi and Argentina, who fended disconnected the Netherlands (also connected penalties) to scope the semifinals.
And the amusive won't halt we expect plentifulness of fireworks successful Saturday's games connected the different broadside of bracket. Will Morocco proceed its imagination tally and get past Portugal? And volition France and Kylian Mbappe support his Golden Boot run and repetition rubric hopes against England?
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 Friday's World Cup happenings, and a look up to Saturday's action.
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1:31
Taylor Twellman lays into Brazil's "inexcusable" decision to Croatia successful the quarter-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
End of epoch for Brazil? Neymar equals Pele successful upset to Croatia
It look similar the cleanable publication was being written. In a crippled that had gone to added extra-time and with a spot to the semifinals connected the line, Neymar's close-range extremity aft immoderate tremendous attacking play gave Brazil a precocious pb against Croatia. Not lone it seemed capable to adjacent retired the game, it enactment Neymar level with fable Pele astatine 77 goals for astir scored successful Brazil men's squad history.
But past came the archetypal re-write. Croatia, who hadn't a changeable connected people each game, tied the crippled erstwhile Bruno Petkovic's changeable took a deflection and nestled into the backmost of the nett successful the 117th minute.
And past the full publication was flipped arsenic the crippled came down to a punishment shootout. Brazil came undone, with Rodrygo's effort saved by keeper Dominik Livakovic and Marquinhos bouncing his changeable disconnected the post, portion Croatia converted each of theirs to assertion a memorable 4-2 triumph aft the 1-1 stalemate astatine extremity of regulation.
Brazil entered the tourney arsenic the odds-on squad to instrumentality their rubric tally to six. Croatia, who mislaid to France successful the 2018 final, weren't eyed to replicate that historical run. But nether the guidance of midfield maestro Luka Modric, the Croatians stymied the Brazilians, who for the archetypal clip successful Qatar mislaid the possession battle. At this point, are you apt to stake against them from reaching different final?
The scenes couldn't beryllium much different. Jubliation from the Croatian players arsenic ran past the crumpled and exhausted Brazilians. Neymar was reduced to tears aft equalizing the grounds of 1 of country's sporting heroes, but near without adjacent taking his accidental successful the shootout. And it seemed similar an extremity of epoch if Neymar decides not to play for Brazil again.
If you are a instrumentality of the Seleção, this publication didn't person a blessed ending.
0:57
Ale Moreno wasn't impressed by Neymar's show against Croatia, contempt his large goal.
Argentina avoids collapse, fend disconnected Dutch connected penalties successful fiesty win
Just erstwhile we thought the day's antics were done, we were fixed different dose of the dramatics successful Argentina's chaotic 4-3 win implicit the Netherlands connected penalties aft a rollercoaster 2-2 decorativeness successful regulation.
The archetypal fractional was a reasonably drab matter until Messi opened it up with a ridiculous reverse pass. He drifted on the borderline of the Netherlands box, and with 1 flick, took 4 Dutch defenders retired of the play and recovered the onrushing Nahuel Molina, who had abstraction to side-foot it past Andries Noppert.
When Messi added a 2nd from the punishment spot, it looked similar Argentina were location free. But past came the 15 minutes of Dutch brilliance to adjacent retired the 90 minutes. Weghorst's header was planted brilliantly past Martinez with 7 minutes of mean clip remaining, and past successful the 10th infinitesimal of wounded time, they conjured 1 of the champion acceptable pieces to grace immoderate World Cup for Weghorst's second.
2:04
Luis Miguel Echegaray reacts to Argentina's melodramatic triumph implicit the Netherlands connected penalties.
At this stage, referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz had already mislaid power of the match, who handed retired 17 yellowish cards (but nary reds?) and had to intermission the crippled doubly arsenic the benches emptied connected the transportation successful ensuing scuffles.
In fact, the punishment shootout astir felt a spot anti-climatic arsenic Argentina emerged from the madness with a triumph and a spot successful the semifinals.
2:02
Craig Burley can't judge the Netherlands pulled disconnected specified an audacious escaped footwear successful the 4th last of a World Cup.
Quarterfinals rotation on! France-England, Portugal-Morocco up next
Since winning the World Cup for France 4 years ago, Kylian Mbappe's beingness has been a whirlwind. In Russia, helium was a 19-year-old prodigy and was inactive emerging arsenic 1 of game's biggest stars. Now astatine the venerable property of 23, he tin marque the lawsuit of being the champion subordinate successful the world.
In Qatar, Mbappe has scored 5 goals and is successful the apical spot to triumph the Golden Boot for astir scored astatine the tournament. He's starring a broadside that has been been playing with assurance and scored aggregate goals successful each of their 4 wins truthful far. Les Bleus person besides been buoyed by Antoine Griezmann, usually a winger but who has thrived and stepped up arsenic a de facto midfielder owed to the pre-Qatar injuries of Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante and Corentin Tolisso.
But if this France squad is to repetition arsenic champion, it'll person to get past a beardown England broadside successful Saturday's quarterfinal clash. In a akin trajectory of Mbappe 4 years ago, 19-year-old England midfielder Jude Bellingham has emerged as 1 the tournament's breakout stars. He scored England's opening extremity of the tourney successful a 6-2 triumph against Iran, and acceptable up England's archetypal extremity successful the 3-0 triumph against Wales.
Bellingham is threatening to lick a presumption England has struggled with for years. Central midfield has been England's weaknesses successful caller tournaments, and Bellingham is rapidly becoming the implicit midfielder that manager Gareth Southgate has needed successful caller years.
2:15
Steve Nicol and Alejandro Moreno sermon however England volition look to woody with Kylian Mbappe erstwhile they look France.
As for the Saturday's aboriginal lucifer betwixt Portugal and Morocco, it remains to beryllium seen what relation (if any) Cristiano Ronaldo volition play. In Portugal's circular of 16 triumph implicit Switzerland, Ronaldo was benched successful favour of Goncalo Ramos successful what was seen arsenic a large gamble by manager Fernando Santos.
It paid disconnected arsenic Ramos scored a chapeau trick, frankincense apt cementing Ronaldo's relation from the seat for the remainder of the tournament. Santos claimed the determination was based connected "strategy," alternatively than Ronaldo's aggravated absorption to being substituted successful Portugal's last radical crippled against South Korea.
Regardless of Ronaldo does, it won't instrumentality distant from what Morocco has accomplished successful Qatar. A triumph against Portugal would marque the Atlas Lions the archetypal African squad to scope the semifinals, aft Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010) each mislaid successful the quarterfinals.
If the imagination communicative continues, it volition beryllium due to the fact that Morocco manager Walid Regragui has installed an effectual defend-and-counter style. They've lone conceded erstwhile truthful acold successful Qatar (an own-goal astatine that), and Yassine Bounou was magnificent successful extremity successful the punishment shoot-out triumph implicit Spain.
2:04
Steve Nicol and Stewart Robson are dubious that Cristiano Ronaldo's comments astir Portugal winning the World Cup are genuinely genuine.
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 the Saturday's matches.
Morocco (+450) vs. Portugal (-155), Draw (270)
Dalen Cuff: Morocco has been inspirational successful this tournament. That 120-minute show against Spain, peculiarly connected defense, was conscionable outstanding. However, guys were cramping, injured, and struggling by the end. Contrast that with a Cristiano Ronaldo-less Portugal looking their champion and astir ascendant successful the tournament, fundamentally holding a grooming league successful the 2nd half. I deliberation Portugal manages the game, minimizes Morocco's opportunities connected the counter, and clasp the Atlas Lions scoreless. Portugal to person a cleanable expanse astatine +102
Paul Carr: This has each the making of a Portugal rout, for each the reasons Dalen explained. And yet, I'm drawn to Morocco for their beardown antiaircraft effort and organization. I've played Morocco to beforehand astatine +290 due to the fact that I conscionable deliberation they person a one-in-four accidental to get through. If that terms is gone, the gully (+260) whitethorn beryllium a amended play, since Portugal person much attacking extent for other time.
Dan Thomas: This is an casual triumph for Portugal here, 3-0.
England (+210) vs. France (+129), Draw (+230)
Cuff: This could beryllium the champion quarterfinal arsenic it features the astir evenly matched and quality-laden teams. That said, I deliberation France has been much awesome implicit the equilibrium of the tourney and this crippled whitethorn travel down to an idiosyncratic infinitesimal of brilliance provided by the electrical Kylian Mbappe. I deliberation determination volition beryllium goals. Over 2.5 (+105) is interesting, but I'm besides going to stake France to triumph successful 90 (+150).
Carr: I person precise small consciousness for this game, and nary tenable result would astonishment me. The 1 happening I bash similar is simply a first-half gully astatine +100. Both teams volition apt beryllium cautious early, since some thin to instrumentality antiaircraft approaches -- contempt their firepower. If 1 squad finds a extremity early, the different volition apt power the shot and person chances the remainder of the half.
Thomas: England's defence has yet to beryllium decently tested and I deliberation it's going to beryllium a catastrophe for manager Gareth Southgate's side. France person truthful overmuch prime going guardant and we are not equipped to halt them. Take a France triumph successful 90 minutes and tons of goals.
Today's apical reads
Will Berhalter beryllium USA manager astatine 2026 World Cup? The lawsuit he's made for himself
Gregg Berhalter mostly succeeded successful his 4 years successful complaint of the US and has his players' backing, but volition helium stay manager?
If Ronaldo joins Al-Nassr, here's what helium tin expect from Saudi Arabia
With the Saudi Arabian broadside reportedly offering Cristiano Ronaldo a reported £200-million-a-year deal, we had to ask: what is the league like?
Stunning England jersey highlights World Cup squad's multicultural heritage
A peculiar variation of England's jersey shows "what brings america together, arsenic opposed to what tears america apart."
News and notes
England manager Gareth Southgate has insisted Ben White left the team's campy for idiosyncratic reasons and played down suggestions of a bust-up betwixt the Arsenal defender and his adjunct manager Steve Holland. A study emerged connected Friday suggesting White had been progressive successful a disagreement with Holland astatine a squad gathering implicit a nonaccomplishment to callback information relating to his idiosyncratic statistics. The Three Lions instrumentality connected France connected Saturday, with Les Bleus keeper Hugo Lloris saying helium thinks it volition beryllium an epic game.
Brazil manager Tite deed backmost at suggestions a deficiency of organization successful the last minutes of other clip contributed to their World Cup exit. Meanwhile, Neymar said he was unsure if helium would play again for the nationalist team aft their heartbreaking loss. "Honestly, I bash not know. I deliberation talking present is atrocious due to the fact that of the vigor of the moment. Maybe I'm not reasoning straight," helium said.
Lionel Messi said helium felt "disrespected" by Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal and blasted the referee aft Argentina bushed the Dutch 4-3 connected penalties successful a thrilling World Cup quarterfinal astatine Lusail Iconic Stadium successful Qatar connected Friday. He was besides fiercely captious of the show from Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz.
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