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Forwards: 10 Neymar (Paris St Germain), 9 Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
Starting lineup of Belgium
Goalkeeper: 1 Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea)
Defenders: 2 Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham ), 4 Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), 15 Thomas Meunier (Paris St. Germain), 5 January Vertonghen (Tottenham)
Midfielder: 7 Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), 8 Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), 10 Eden Hazard (Chelsea), 6 Axel Witsel (Tianjin Quanjian)
Forward: 22 Nacer Chadli (West Brom), 9 Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)
Casemiro for Brazil
The tenacious defensive midfielder of Brazil, Casemiro, is a big reason why the Selecão left 310 minutes and countless goals. But he will watch the match of Belgium: he is suspended for accumulation of yellow cards. The likely replacement is Fernandinho, a little older and slightly less physically imposing, but still a solid second choice. And in some respects, Fernandinho could be the best choice against his Manchester City teammate Kevin De Bruyne and two other Premier League rivals in the Belgian attack, Eden Hazard (Chelsea) and Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United).
Romelu Lukaku shows some other talents
Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku already has the biggest asset of the tournament – a model to allow the ball to present himself to a team-mate for the winning goal against Japan – but he was equally impressive in Thursday's press conference. Lukaku answered questions in four languages - French, Dutch, English and Portuguese – without a translator, and did not even have the opportunity to try a few others that he knows.
The value of Kevin De Bruyne
While the Manchester City star Kevin de Bruyne has not yet put his name on the score sheet for Belgium, he is among the leaders of the tournament in the more esoteric) category of occasions created. The goals, everyone can say, still count the most, but De Bruyne proved invaluable, including leading the breakthrough that produced the winner against Japan.
"His role in our team was underestimated" Roberto Martinez said this week. "Maybe because at the club level, it's always at the end of a pass or at the end of a goal, and that it's easy to bring out a point Kevin De Bruyne's Fort
"I think the influence of Kevin De Bruyne in our team was much deeper, a little earlier, allowing his team to have the influence we have in the last third and to be a true playmaker for us. " ] The difference is experience
Martinez, asked to compare Belgium and Brazil: "The difference is clear.The two sides are very similar in the quality we have, the talent we have.The difference is that we We did not win a World Cup … it's as simple as that. "
This has always been the problem with Belgium: they have always outgrown their demographic weight, but as the l & # 39; Spain for decades, they simply have not managed to make their way in the elite.Belgium can handle the bad teams of the World Cup and even the very good ones, but it will be necessary to exceed big teams like Brazil to win a World Cup, and it's never been able to do it.
bring is the wait, "said Martinez. "They know how to win World Cups."
Neymar Flops, but Neymar is also touched
There has been much talk of the collapse of Neymar in recent games in Brazil, but do not hide that it takes more harm than any other player . Neymar has been fouled 23 times in four games. Lionel Messi (15) and Cristiano Ronaldo (14) are the numbers 2 and 3 of the list, which can give you an idea of the reason for Neymar's presence in the field. The Spanish Sergio Busquets is No. 4, which is odd because he is a defensive midfielder, not the kind of player that other teams really need to control.
Stellar …
The Brazil attack is still his star, but the defensive performance of the team in Russia could have been even more impressive. Brazil has granted only one World Cup goal to Switzerland in the 50th minute of its first match. He has recorded three consecutive shutout victories since he's qualified for a tie in this game. "If I feel more relaxed, it's because the players have put me in this position by playing better," said Tite
Brazil vs Belgium Top Story Lines
• Brazil has won five World Cups. Belgium's best result was a semifinal trip to Mexico in 1986, but to the quarter-finals for the second consecutive cycle.
• Brazil released its last two shutouts without Marcelo, the left-back who missed the last match. but 10 minutes from the front with a back injury. Tite said Thursday that Marcelo was fit again and that he would join Belgium
• One of the Brazilian coaches revealed that the team was using Willian's advice to prepare Eden Hazard, his teammate in Chelsea. the main story
• Belgium scored the most goals for all teams in the tournament, but it also has 11 goals in the preliminary round in a tournament where shots on goal are expanding. England and Russia, for example, each scored one-third of their nine penalty goals.
Lukaku, with four, is second behind Harry Kane in the Golden Boot race, and midfielder Eden Hazard has two. But Kevin De Bruyne has not yet scored a shot on goal. "Belgium is not only Lukaku," said Brazilian defender Miranda
Neymar and Philippe Coutinho, with two goals each, led Brazil to the score.
• Brazilian manager Tite does not want a penalty shootout Friday. "A football match should never be settled with the horror of penalties, I do not see that as a valid result," he said. "But I do not know what to suggest."
• Martinez was questioned Thursday when he had an interest in the (soon) future vacant job in Spain. He wisely stayed away from answering
• Former France striker Thierry Henry is a member of the Belgium team, and Martinez called his contributions "very important". "He won the World Cup, he won the European Championships, he knows how you feel as a player when you are in this situation."
Interactive Record
Locate the ball: the knockout round
Messi is gone. Ronaldo is gone. Germany has been gone for a long time. But Spot the Ball survived the knockout round of the World Cup! To celebrate, we shot some photos of the round of 16 and made a very important change – we pulled the ball. See if you can guess where it was.
Some Readings of Pregame
• "Neymar does what all novice actors do," said the coach. "They fly over the event." Andrew Keh on Neymar's dive (he's not alone), his exaggerated responses (a bit too much) and what it hurts.
• Franklin Foer of The Atlantic is a fan of Neymar diving. Deadspin says he should be "ashamed".
• Romelu Lukaku's recent play on The Players & # 39; Tribune, on growing up poor, being challenged by his age and his legacy, his penchant for milk. cereals to play for Manchester United, is worth your time.
Continue reading the main story
