The quarter-finals are upon us, and what a thrilling ride it's shaping up to be! The 2026 'Geopolitics World Cup' has been an absolute rollercoaster so far, with 96 matches already in the books and 40 teams packing their bags. Who would have thought we'd see Germany, the Netherlands, and Brazil exiting at this stage? The remaining eight teams are now locked and loaded, ready to do battle for that coveted trophy.
The expanded format has certainly made this journey longer than usual, but don't be fooled – the knockout stages are where the real drama begins. European fans have had their work cut out, staying up late into the night to catch the action. And what an epic spectacle it's been! Each match brings its own unique tale of triumph and heartbreak, with heroes rising and villains falling.
Now we get to England vs Norway – a mouth-watering clash that pits Harry Kane against Erling Haaland in a battle of the superstars. But make no mistake, this isn't just about individual brilliance. Both teams have shown incredible team spirit to reach this point, with England's supporting cast, including Jude Bellingham, firing on all cylinders. Can they harness that collective energy to take down Norway, who pulled off the major upset by beating Brazil?
Elsewhere, France and Morocco are set for a thrilling rematch of their 2022 semi-final showdown. The Atlas Lions have come a long way since then, crowned AFCON champions and with a 3-0 demolition job on Canada in the last 16 under their belts. But don't count out Kylian Mbappé just yet – he's been doing this at World Cup level for years! Didier Deschamps remains unfazed by external factors, shrugging off controversy to focus on his team: "We've got one opponent in mind: Morocco."
Spain vs Belgium and Argentina vs Switzerland round out the quarter-finals. Spain know how to win it all – but can they handle the resurgent Belgian threat? Meanwhile, Lionel Messi is still chasing that elusive Golden Boot, while Argentina look to overcome the tricky Swiss test ahead.