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The value of Kevin De Bruyne
While 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 category more esoteric chances. 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 a goal and it's easy to bring out a strong point from Kevin De Bruyne. " 19659004 "I think the influence of Kevin De Bruyne in our team was much deeper, a little earlier, allowing his team to have the influence that 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 parts are very similar in quality that we have, the talent we have.The difference is that we have not won 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 like Spain for decades, they have just failed to make their way into the elite.Belgium can handle the wrong teams of the World Cup and even the very good teams, but it will be necessary to go beyond the big ones like Brazil to win a World Cup, and she has never been able to do it.
bring is the expectation, "said Martinez." They know how to win the World Cups. "
Neymar Flops, but Neymar is also touched
There has been a lot of talk about l & # 39; Neymar's collapse in recent Brazilian games, but do not hide that he's taking more harm than any other player.Neymar has been fouled 23 times in four games. "Lionel Messi (15) and Cristiano Ronaldo (14 years old) are numbers 2 and 3 of the list, which can give you an idea of the reason for Neymar's presence on the field.The Spanish Sergio Busquets is number 4, which is strange since he is a defensive midfielder, not the kind of player that other teams really need to control.
Brazil's Stellar …
The Brazil attack is still his head of the bill, but the defensive performance of the team in Russia could have been even more impressive. he gave only one World Cup goal to Switzerland in the 50th minute of his first match. He has recorded three consecutive shutout victories since he's qualified for a tie in this game. "If I seem 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, a record. 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 game. but 10 minutes from the front with a back injury. Tite said Thursday that Marcelo was fit again and that he would join Belgium.
• Belgium scored the most goals for all the teams in the tournament, but it also has 11 goals in a tournament. are flaming. 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 asked Thursday if 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 Feature
Locate the ball: the round of knockout
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 pre-grammar readings
• "Neymar does what all beginner actors do," says 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 poor, to be questioned about his age and his legacy, from the campaign that l & rsquo; has brought diluted milk into his cereal at Manchester United, is worth your time.
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