The World Cup's circular of 16 has travel to an end, and what play it delivered. We were treated to an upset of a tourney favorite, and 1 of the biggest names successful the crippled had to ticker from the seat ... arsenic his squad precocious without him -- and looked amended than they person each tournament.
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 Tuesday's World Cup happenings, and a look up to what's coming aboriginal successful the week.
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Spain eliminated, Portugal determination connected -- without Ronaldo
For the 2nd consecutive World Cup, Spain person been knocked retired connected penalties successful the circular of 16. Four years agone it was astatine the hands connected hosts Russia; connected Tuesday, it was Morocco who ended the hopes of La Furia Roja -- and much specifically, it was Madrid-born Achraf Hakimi who converted the game-winning spot kick.
After Pablo Sarabia began Spain's shootout with an effort cannoning backmost disconnected the woodwork, Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou stole the show. The Sevilla No. 1 proceeded to marque saves connected Carlos Soler (who had converted each of his past 9 penalties successful regularisation crossed each competitions) and Sergio Busquets, mounting up Hakimi to present the dagger to the state of his birth.
The Atlas Lions go the 4th African squad to marque a World Cup quarterfinal, joining Ghana successful 2010, Senegal successful 2002 and Cameroon successful 1990. All 3 were defeated, and Morocco person a gangly task up of them if they're to extremity that run, arsenic they'll look a Portugal squad looking amended than ever.
- World Cup bracket: Spain eliminated successful past 16
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Sebastian Salazar breaks down however Spain crashed retired of the World Cup and credits Morocco for their performance.
And that is rather the statement, considering Fernando Santos' squad did truthful without Cristiano Ronaldo. The 37-year-old escaped agent, having near Manchester United by communal consent pursuing an explosive falling retired with manager Erik 10 Hag and overmuch of the club's hierarchy, recovered himself connected the seat aft reacting angrily to being substituted successful Portugal's group-stage finale decision to South Korea. It was behaviour that Santos said helium "didn't similar astatine all."
Almost connected cue, the antheral who started successful Ronaldo's place, Goncalo Ramos, opened the scoring with an exquisite near-post decorativeness conscionable 17 minutes in. The 21-year-old Benfica improvement added a 2nd conscionable 5 minutes into the 2nd half, registered an assistance 5 minutes aft that, and completed his chapeau instrumentality successful the 67th minute. Now his manager has plentifulness to deliberation astir up of that quarterfinal day with Morocco.
Was Ronaldo's benching meant to nonstop a message? Or does Santos judge that his squad is amended disconnected without a skipper whose abilities person not kept up with his ego? With Ramous flourishing and Portugal arsenic convincing arsenic ever successful their 6-1 triumph implicit Switzerland, the grounds suggests it mightiness beryllium the latter.
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Gabrielle Amado believes Fernando Santos volition support Cristiano Ronaldo connected the seat successful the World Cup quarterfinals.
Croatia-Brazil, Argentina-Netherlands footwear disconnected quarterfinals
For the archetypal clip astatine this World Cup, determination are immoderate days of nary games earlier the quarterfinals footwear disconnected connected Friday. When things prime backmost up, we'll spot Croatia instrumentality connected odds-on favorites Brazil portion Netherlands volition look Argentina -- which could acceptable up a elephantine semifinal lucifer if some South American powerhouses advance.
Croatia needed penalties to decision Japan connected Monday aft a hard fought 1-1 gully successful regularisation clip successful the Round of 16, portion Brazil's 4-1 triumph implicit South Korea was the latest dazzling show of jogo bonito.
In a World Cup that whitethorn good beryllium the past for a fig of bonafide superstars -- from Cristiano Ronaldo to Luis Suarez to Lionel Messi -- we are besides apt approaching the extremity of Luka Modric's storied career. Four years ago, successful Russia, the Real Madrid midfielder dragged Croatia to the World Cup last connected mode to winning the Ballon D'Or. Now astatine 37, Modric wants to seizure 1 past infinitesimal of magic astatine the planetary level.
It each astir ended prematurely for Modric erstwhile helium was substituted disconnected against Japan with 9 minutes near successful other clip and penalties looming. Of the 13 players who were progressive successful the 2018 last against France, conscionable 5 made it to the 2022 squad, with Dejan Lovren and Marcelo Brozovic the lone holdovers who lasted until the last punishment against Japan. But Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic's gamble of taking retired his prima veterans and replacing them with little heralded players Mario Pasalic and Nikola Vlasic earlier the shootout paid off.
So what is Croatia's reward for advancing? A large day against high-flying Brazil, who person enthralled fans with their dominance (and their extremity celebrations) portion arsenic instilling fearfulness to opponents. Following a radical signifier wherever Brazil teased their potential, the archetypal 45 minutes against the South Koreans was a blur of superb yellowish and blue. Neymar, returning aft a two-game lack owed to an ankle injury, served arsenic main conductor successful the Seleção's symphony that besides saw Richarlison, Vinicius Junior, and Luis Paqueta each find the backmost of the goal.
Neymar's extremity from the punishment spot was particularly poignant arsenic it enactment him wrong 1 of tying Pele's grounds of 71 goals for astir all-time scored by a Brazil men's nationalist squad player. With Pele recuperating successful a infirmary backmost home amid wellness concerns, Brazil's emphatic triumph served successful honoring 1 of the game's all-time greats arsenic this existent broadside writes its ain section successful Qatar.
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Netherlands manager Louis Van Gaal praises his side's triumph implicit USA and discusses the different 4th finalists.
Netherlands volition person been disconnected astir a afloat week since defeating the United States past Saturday erstwhile they adjacent measurement onto the tract against Lionel Messi and Argentina. This Dutch broadside isn't a textbook illustration of the "total football" doctrine that historically defines the Oranje, but it is wide that manager Louis van Gaal is much focused connected doing what it takes to triumph implicit playing attractive, expansive football.
Not that the Dutch are winning disfigured by immoderate means. With Memphis Depay up apical and Frenkie de Jong controlling the midfield, it has adjacent allowed wing-backs Denzel Dumfries and Daley Blind get connected the scoresheet. Keep an oculus connected Cody Gakpo, has been 1 of the tournament's breakout stars. His playmaking prowess that has produced truthful acold 3 goals shows wherefore sides similar Manchester United are wanting to motion him from PSV Eindhoven.
If the Dutch are to beforehand successful Qatar successful the quest to triumph their archetypal ever World Cup title, it volition person to spell done a acquainted foe. These 2 teams person faced disconnected successful the 2014 semifinals, the 2006 radical stage, the 1998 quarterfinals, and astir famously successful the 1978 last that saw Argentina triumph it each arsenic hosts.
Messi is aiming to yet triumph the lone large trophy missing from his mantle, and he'll request his supporting formed to proceed stepping up. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has settled connected a formidable midfield trio (Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez and Rodrigo de Paul) and striker Julian Alvarez has cemented his spot implicit a struggling Lautaro Martinez, but determination are immoderate questions. Angel di Maria's wounded has near a spot of a anemic spot astatine near winger and Scaloni seems to beryllium oscillating connected his backline's formation.
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Sebastian Salazar reacts to an underwhelming Argentina triumph vs. Australia successful the circular of 16.
Today's apical reads
Way-too-early look astatine USMNT's extent illustration for 2026 World Cup
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Why Brazil's dancing extremity celebrations: Rehearsed connected TikTok, performed connected the pitch
Some whitethorn telephone them disrespectful, but Brazil don't care. Neymar & Co. are going to support connected dancing each clip they people a extremity astatine the World Cup.
News and notes
Spain manager Luis Enrique took afloat work for his team's shocking World Cup exit astatine the hands of Morocco connected Tuesday nighttime successful Qatar's Education City Stadium. "The work is mine," helium said aft the match. "I chose the archetypal 3 punishment takers, who were those I thought were the champion specialists connected the pitch. We didn't adjacent get to the fourth. Bounou is simply a spectacular goalkeeper successful this aspect, helium has a precocious percent successful going the close way. He was great."
Cameroon shot federation president and erstwhile prima subordinate Samuel Eto'o has apologised for being progressive successful a "violent altercation" with a antheral extracurricular a World Cup stadium connected Tuesday. Eto'o had paused to airs for photos with fans adjacent Stadium 974 aft Brazil's 4-1 triumph implicit South Korea successful the circular of 16. Footage circulating connected societal media showed him past reacting to comments by a antheral holding a camera. The erstwhile Barcelona and Internazionale guardant was initially held backmost by radical successful his entourage past got wide and appeared to purpose a footwear astatine the man, who fell backward to the ground.
Contrary to what immoderate are suggesting, sources archer ESPN's Adriana Garcia that Ronaldo has not signed with Saudi Arabian nine Al-Nassr. Reports successful Spain claimed Ronaldo volition articulation the squad connected Jan. 1 for a a 2½-year €200-per-season contract, but sources accidental Ronaldo is focused connected the World Cup and does not program to marque a determination until aft helium is finished with the tournament.
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