Just due to the fact that the World Cup took a interruption doesn't mean we are! With 2 days of nary games up of the quarterfinals, there's plentifulness to look up earlier the past 8 teams inactive successful contention footwear disconnected concern extremity of the tourney connected Friday.
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 Wednesday's World Cup happenings, and a look up to what's coming aboriginal successful the week.
- World Cup news, features, previews and more
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World Cup quarterfinals: 1 large happening for each 8 teams
There's plentifulness of prima power, large matchups and apical players who each person their eyes acceptable connected hoisting the trophy connected Dec. 18.
The enactment begins connected Dec. 9 with Croatia and Brazil kicking off, followed by the Netherlands battling Argentina.
On Dec. 10, Morocco look disconnected against Portugal earlier England vs. France wrapper up the weekend's action.
Before the games begin, ESPN takes a look astatine each squad with cardinal things to ticker and players to know.
Click HERE to get the afloat breakdown, including our predictions of which teams volition advance.
- World Cup bracket: Last 8 teams diagnostic 4 erstwhile winners
Croatia vs. Brazil
Friday, Dec. 9, 10 a.m. ET
Note connected Croatia: As manager, Zlatko Dalic knows helium has a midfield trio -- Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic and Luka Modric -- that is agelong connected acquisition and the benignant of method quality required to play keep-away and marque the opponents pursuit you. He's close excessively that nary of Brazil's opponents frankincense acold person tried to play possession shot against them.
Note connected Brazil: You cognize astir Neymar, but support tabs connected Richarlison, who is 25 years old, plays for Tottenham Hotspur and has been 1 of the fascinations of this tourney some due to the fact that of his prowess astir the extremity and besides his pigeon-dance celebration. Look for him successful beforehand of the goal. Or dancing aft he's enactment the shot successful the net.
Netherlands vs. Argentina
Friday, Dec. 9, 2 p.m. ET
Note connected Argentina: This is each astir Lionel Messi. In shot terms, his pursuit of World Cup glory is arsenic adjacent arsenic you'll get to replicating Michael Jordan's "Last Dance" with the Chicago Bulls. So acold successful Qatar, Messi has delivered, scoring 3 goals and inspiring Lionel Scaloni's squad into the quarterfinals, but astatine each stage, the unit intensifies. This squad lacks the extent of endowment of its predecessors but the imagination of Argentina's archetypal rubric since 1986 is alive.
Note connected Netherlands: Cody Gakpo is getting plentifulness of headlines present with 3 goals successful 4 games and has been linked with a January determination to Manchester United, portion Memphis Depay is worthy keeping an oculus connected arsenic their cardinal striker. But if the Netherlands are win, they request antiaircraft midfielder Frenkie de Jong to beryllium connected the apical of his game.
Morocco vs. Portugal
Saturday, Dec. 10, 10 a.m. ET
Note connected Morocco: After becoming the archetypal African federation to beforehand to the World Cup Round of 16 successful 1986, the Atlas Lions are again connected the verge of history. A triumph against Portugal would marque them the archetypal African squad to scope the semifinals, aft Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010) each mislaid successful the quarterfinals.
Note connected Portugal: Most of the sound astir Portugal since they arrived successful Qatar has focused connected Cristiano Ronaldo but softly Bruno Fernandes has been successful good form. Usually deployed successful a cardinal relation for Manchester United, helium has been utilized connected the close of the beforehand 3 astatine the World Cup and it's paid off. And with 37-year-old Ronaldo present benched successful favour of 21-year-old Benfica striker Gonçalo Ramos, it could beryllium a changing of the guard.
England vs. France
Saturday, Dec. 10, 2 p.m. ET
Note connected England: Squad skipper Harry Kane won the Golden Boot astatine the past World Cup but scored 5 of his six goals successful Russia during the radical stage. The 29-year-old has since modified his attack to tourney shot aiming to highest successful the knockout rounds and his archetypal extremity successful Qatar during England's circular of 16 triumph implicit Senegal was an encouraging start.
Note connected France: Kylian Mbappe is the champion subordinate successful the satellite close now. He has been unstoppable and unplayable truthful acold successful this tourney with 5 goals and 2 assists successful 4 games. It was good to deliberation that France would person a driblet successful signifier owed to the pre-tourney injuries, but arsenic agelong arsenic Mbappe is connected the pitch, Les Bleus volition stay connected people to repetition arsenic champions.
USA latest: Berhalter acceptable to tally it back?
The latest from ESPN's Jeff Carlisle is that USA men's squad manager Gregg Berhalter is acceptable to statesman discussions connected a caller declaration with the U.S. Soccer Federation.
One root acknowledged it's inactive precise aboriginal successful the process, and different sources person indicated that Berhalter is funny successful exploring European nine options.
While Berhalter earned a passing people successful Qatar, determination is small uncertainty that USA fans were near wanting more. So, with a fewer days to decompress and analyse this squad and its tournament, ESPN's writers sat down to sermon what this squad did right, what they didn't, and wherever they spell from here. Check it retired HERE.
And arsenic a reminder, we are little than 4 years distant from the next World Cup (co-hosted with Mexico and Canada). While tons volition alteration betwixt present and then, ESPN gives you a way-too-early appraisal connected however the USA's roster could look, with plentifulness of acquainted faces but different players to support an oculus on. Give a look HERE.
1:46
Gregg Berhalter talks to Sam Borden aft the USMNT's World Cup exit astatine the hands of the Netherlands.
Today's apical reads
Your eventual usher to punishment shootouts: champion takers, keeper stats, more
The chances of a crippled being decided from the spot summation exponentially. Breaking down the numbers connected however to triumph a punishment shootout.
World Cup Best XIs: Putting unneurotic the champion imagination teams truthful far
England's Jude Bellingham is 1 of the statement picks among ESPN's writers successful Qatar, but who other makes it successful our World Cup Best XI lists truthful far?
Looking astatine Portugal's Ramos, the antheral who replaced Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo was dropped for 21-year-old Gonçalo Ramos against Switzerland, who past scored a chapeau instrumentality for Portugal. He's besides a aboriginal star.
News and notes
Manchester United manager Erik 10 Hag has said the nine is "looking to the future" pursuing Cristiano Ronaldo's acrimonious departure past month. Ronaldo is simply a escaped cause aft helium mutually agreed to terminate his declaration with United successful November pursuing a arguable interrogation earlier the World Cup. When asked astir Ronaldo's exit for the archetypal time, Ten Hag told the club's authoritative website: "He's gone and it's the past. We are present looking guardant and we're looking to the future."
Netherlands skipper Virgil van Dijk was adamant that the Netherlands' World Cup quarterfinal against Argentina connected Friday wasn't a conflict of him against Lionel Messi, but added his squad would beryllium cautious successful their approach. The Dutch besides look the anticipation of the bulk of the 80,000-odd assemblage astatine Lusail Stadium cheering connected Argentina arsenic a amazingly tiny fig of orange-clad Netherlands supporters person travelled.
The German shot federation (DFB) maintained its spot successful Hansi Flick arsenic Germany men's nationalist squad manager connected Wednesday despite the disappointing World Cup performance. DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said the assemblage has "full confidence" successful Flick to pb the squad done the 2024 European Championship, which Germany is scheduled to host. Since winning the 2014 World Cup rubric nether manager Joachim Low, the Germans person bowed retired of the radical signifier successful 2018 (under Low) and present 2022.
Eden Hazard has announced that helium volition discontinue from planetary football pursuing Belgium's disappointing World Cup run successful Qatar. Hazard, 31, played successful each 3 Group F games but did not people arsenic Belgium bushed Canada, mislaid to Morocco and played retired a goalless gully with Croatia to decorativeness third. Hazard, who plays for Real Madrid, served arsenic skipper for Belgium successful Qatar.
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