To kick things off, we have France vs. Morocco. The French are no strangers to the competition, having reached the last two finals and clinched the trophy in 2018. Morocco, however, will not back down without a fight after reaching the semifinals at the last World Cup. The two players under the spotlight will be Kylian Mbappé for France and Achraf Hakimi for Morocco.
Tomorrow, Belgium take on Spain. Both teams boast star-studded lineups and will hope to advance in the competition. For many, this will be their last World Cup, including Belgium’s frontman Romelu Lukaku. For Spain, on the other hand, it is Lamine Yamal’s first World Cup. The Spaniard is only 18 years old and has already made a name for himself at Barcelona. Experience-wise, Spain are favoured to win this matchup.
The most anticipated match of the quarterfinals will be England vs. Norway. England, who always have a target on their backs, will hope to continue their slogan, “It’s Coming Home,” as they aim to reach the semifinals after a tremendous 3-2 victory over host nation Mexico. Norway, however, are enjoying a remarkable World Cup in their first appearance since 1998. The Vikings undoubtedly have one of the best strikers in the world in Erling Haaland and are captained by 2026 Premier League winner Martin Ødegaard.
The final quarterfinal sees the defending champions, Argentina, take on Switzerland. Argentina are not only supported by their own nation but also by fans around the world, thanks in large part to one of the greatest footballers of all time, Lionel Messi. Their road to the quarterfinals has been challenging, with a 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde followed by a dramatic last-minute 3-2 win against Egypt. Switzerland have also fought hard to reach the quarterfinals, winning a penalty shootout against Colombia. This marks Switzerland’s fourth appearance in the World Cup quarterfinals, with their previous one coming 72 years ago.
