Morocco are the feel-good communicative of the 2022 World Cup tourney truthful far. The Atlas Lions topped their group, the archetypal African federation to bash truthful successful this century, and volition beryllium looking to upset their neighbors Spain successful Tuesday's circular of 16 clash.
Meanwhile, Brazil are not holding thing backmost aft scoring 4 first-half goals against South Korea to beforehand to the quarterfinals. The Selecao are 1 of the astir entertaining teams to watch, providing shot that's casual connected the oculus with plentifulness of flair, idiosyncratic endowment and creation moves to celebrate.
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 Monday's World Cup happenings, and a look up to Tuesday for what's next.
- World Cup news, features, previews and more
- Stream FC Daily and Futbol Americas connected ESPN+
Spain oregon Morocco?
Neighbors Spain and Morocco volition conscionable successful the circular of 16 connected Dec. 6 astatine 10 a.m. ET. Morocco amazed the satellite aft winning their radical and picking up arsenic galore points arsenic England and Netherlands. That aforesaid radical included Belgium and Croatia, and an emphatic triumph against the erstwhile showed everyone they mean concern successful Qatar.
Meanwhile, Luis Enrique's broadside started the tourney with a 7-0 thrashing of Costa Rica, but ended up drafting against Germany and losing against Japan. They had to settee for the runners-up spot, and volition look to person learned from their mistakes against a Moroccan broadside successful dreamland.
Spain's midfield is arguably the champion successful the tournament, with the likes of seasoned Sergio Busquets coupled with young stars Pedri and Gavi, each 3 hailing from Barcelona. They'll look to power the crippled and bushed their opponents with possession, question and off-the-ball running. However, they person been criticized for their deficiency of a No. 9, which Enrique recovered responsibility with, saying Ferran Torres and Alvaro Morata are usually successful that role.
- World Cup bracket: Spain, Morocco acceptable up QF match
For Morocco, it is their 5th quality astatine the World Cup. They've ne'er made it past the quarterfinals stage, and a day with destiny is acceptable for tomorrow. Although the likelihood are against them, caput manager Walid Regragui said the squad is "well-prepared" and that "we'll bash everything to win." With squad chemistry, enactment and cohesiveness, Morocco mightiness person the cleanable premix to support connected surprising.
Anything is imaginable successful the World Cup.
1:08
James Olley details the cardinal origin successful Brazil's 4-1 triumph implicit South Korea successful the World Cup circular of 16.
Brazil enactment connected sensational showing
Brazil's show against South Korea encapsulates everything astir their shot style. The passing, the trickery, the dancing. Even caput manager Tite got progressive aft they scored their 3rd successful little than 30 minutes.
Neymar came backmost from wounded to ace complaint the broadside into precocious cogwheel and people a extremity from the spot. He's conscionable 1 extremity distant from equalling Pele's Brazil extremity record. Vinicius Junior, Richarlison and Lucas Paqueta were among the different scorers, though determination could person been much fixed the chances South Korea gave up.
And to marque definite each subordinate of their squad got minutes successful the World Cup, Tite brought connected third-choice goalkeeper Weverton astatine the 80th minute. Now everyone's portion of the party.
After the match, the players held a emblem for Pele, who is presently successful infirmary aft being admitted determination past week arsenic helium battles colon cancer.
"I'll ticker the crippled from present astatine the infirmary and I'll beryllium rooting for each 1 of you," Pele said, and the boys delivered. Joga Bonito.
Today's apical reads
Booze cruise: What it's similar astatine Qatar's ocean-liner-turned-hotel World Cup enactment spots
Fans from each implicit signifier a melting cookware of World Cup fans, intoxicant imbibers, partiers and tourists successful Qatar's docked ships being utilized arsenic hotels.
Why Bruno Fernandes has been Portugal's champion subordinate astatine the World Cup
Bruno Fernandes was dropped for Portugal's round-of-16 exit astatine the Euros. At the aforesaid signifier of this World Cup, he's been the team's cardinal player.
Morocco's tally to World Cup knockouts is nary fluke; the concealed is squad spirit
Many didn't expect Morocco to get through, but they volition person a monolithic magnitude of enactment connected the crushed erstwhile they look Spain connected Tuesday.
Your champion bets (odds via Caesars Sportsbook)
If you're looking to stake connected the World Cup, ESPN contributors Paul Carr, Daniel Thomas and Dalen Cuff are present to springiness you cardinal tips on odds, options and futures. Here's what we person for Tuesday's matches.
Morocco (+525) vs. Spain (-170), Draw (+270)
Dalen Cuff: Spain has looked fantabulous for periods of this tourney and quixotically fragile successful abbreviated bursts. That was evident successful the crippled against Japan which saw them spell from up 1-0 to down 2-1 successful the span of minutes. I deliberation they beforehand here, but they volition beryllium pushed and are susceptible to surrendering a extremity to a bully counter-attacking Moroccan side. I similar some teams to people (+115).
Paul Carr: Dalen stole my play here. As we saw passim the radical stage, Spain volition person a ton of the shot and beryllium susceptible connected the counterattack. Both of those things are good with Morocco. Spain person lone allowed 3 goals successful 3 games, which successful enactment with their 2.7 expected goals against. That said, Spain are allowing the second-best shots successful the tourney (0.16 xG/shot), truthful opponents are uncovering bully chances connected the break. Morocco volition bash that too.
Daniel Thomas: Spain person had specified a unusual satellite World Cup up to present and that makes this crippled precise hard to judge. I'll instrumentality the gully aft 90 minutes.
Portugal (-117) vs. Switzerland (+350), Draw (+235)
Cuff: Portugal has been amended successful this tourney than I anticipated. That said, the Swiss squad got results some astatine past summer's Euros and again successful this tourney -- peculiarly erstwhile they had to triumph oregon gully to beforehand against Serbia and came backmost from down 2-1 to triumph 3-2. This is fundamentally the aforesaid Swiss squad that knocked retired France successful the Euros Round of 16 aft being down 3-1 successful the 2nd half. I'm backing them to get a effect successful 90 minutes, treble the accidental (win/draw) astatine -107. Or, if you're feeling aggressive, they are astatine +175 to advance.
Carr: Both of these teams person been much unfastened than anticipated truthful far. Ten goals person been scored successful Portugal's 3 games and 8 successful Switzerland's, with underlying numbers that aren't acold off. That's wherefore I similar implicit 2.5 goals astatine +127. It's ever a risky stake successful a knockout game, which could crook into a cagey 1-0 benignant of game, but I don't deliberation either squad volition spell for that successful this one.
Thomas: There are 2 bully teams going head-to-head here. I hold it's going to beryllium tight. I similar Portugal to spell done connected penalties (+850).
1:42
Ale Moreno reacts to Fernando Santos' comments astir him being unhappy with Cristiano Ronaldo.
News and notes
Portugal's manager Fernando Santos blasted Cristiano Ronaldo's absorption to being subbed disconnected successful Friday's radical signifier crippled against South Korea. The Portugal skipper looked visibly frustrated erstwhile helium was taken disconnected successful the 2nd fractional of the 2-1 defeat, with cameras catching the 37-year-old appearing to say, "He's successful a unreserved to sub me." Santos said helium hadn't seen the footage astatine first, but aft watching it helium said "I didn't similar it. Didn't similar it astatine all. From there, it's things you benignant retired internally. It was sorted retired this way, and present we deliberation astir the crippled tomorrow. Everyone is focused connected the game." Santos past refused to corroborate whether Ronaldo would beryllium named successful the squad for the round-of-16 necktie with Switzerland astatine Lusail Stadium connected Tuesday -- perchance his past crippled astatine a World Cup.
Didier Deschamps volition prohibition his players from wearing jewelry, after saying Jules Kounde was "very lucky" to flight his choler for being told to region a golden necklace during Sunday's 3-1 triumph against Poland. The Barcelona defender Kounde was forced disconnected the transportation erstwhile referee Jesus Valenzuela spotted the full-back's golden concatenation connected the extracurricular of his shirt. "He [Kounde] shouldn't person started the crippled with that on," Deschamps said. "I don't cognize what helium has connected the necklace, but I cognize he's a spot superstitious and helium wears it successful grooming too." The defending satellite champions volition look England connected Saturday with the 2 countries acceptable to conscionable successful a World Cup for the archetypal clip since the 1982 World Cup successful Spain.
England's Raheem Sterling has near England's World Cup campy successful Qatar and returned location aft a break-in astatine his home. The 27-year-old Chelsea guardant missed the 3-0 World Cup round-of-16 triumph implicit Senegal aft uncovering retired that his Surrey location was breached into connected Saturday evening. The constabulary connection said authorities were contacted Saturday nighttime "after the occupants of the spot came location and discovered a fig of items including jewellery and watches had been stolen." England skipper Kane said, "Our thoughts are with him and his family. It's a backstage matter, but it's ne'er casual to spot 1 of your teammates and friends woody with thing similar that."
English (US)