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SAMARA, RUSSIA (Reuters) – Europe and South America will again fight for football supremacy in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, but with a large number of usual fighters already out, there is a feeling of freshness promises a finalist new or absent for a long time.
Germany, Spain and Argentina, all competing, have all completed a tournament that has created a series of endless surprises. The picture is clearly unbalanced in terms of talent.
In one half, England, who played in the finals in 1966 and Sweden, who lost to Brazil in the final in 1958, will meet in Samara on Saturday with a four-on-four clash. Croatia or Russia waiting for the winner.
Neither the hosts, whose best precedent was a semi-final semifinal like the Soviet Union in 1966 or Croatia, which also reached the last four in 1998, were supposed to challenge but have far exceeded many supposed superiors.
On the other side of the table, Brazil's five-time winners face Belgium's "Golden Generation" and France, the French champion in 1998, faces Uruguay, twice crowned in the first half of the season. tournament.
It is here that will take place the usual battle between the two dominant football continents, which have produced all the previous winners of the World Cup.
Reversing their preconceptions about the two continental football masses, the quarter-finals of this year pit exciting and adventurous European teams against pragmatic, stubborn South American opponents. and defensive.
Brazil, who is usually the best player in the history of football, and Uruguay have the world's poorest defensive ways of the World Cup after conceding only once in their four matches.
Their opponents, Belgium and France, are more focused on creating havoc on the other end.
Uruguay dismissed Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo in his 2-1 victory in the round of 16, just as France scored four goals against Argentina at the same time. They play in Nizhny Novgorod on Friday.
MISERLY BRAZIL
The spotlight on Brazil is still stubbornly drawn to the Neymar talisman, which has been defined as much by its histrionic performances as by its performance in Russia, but the real heroes on its present side are apparently stationed at the other end of the field.
The Brazilian defensive record under coach Tite was remarkable, with just six goals conceded in 25 games, and they were also stingy in Russia.
Belgium , however, are the tournament's top scorers with 12 straight wins in four including their superb two-goal return to beat Japan in the last 16.
In Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne, Belgium, who reached the semi-finals in 1986, have two of the most devastating creators of the game.
Yet, as they come out Friday to face the most great superpower of world football in Kazan, they might wish to play in Sweden's place.
It could have been their fate had they lost their last group match against England, which was handsomely rewarded for finishing finalists with – on paper – what appears to be a road much easier towards the final.
After defeating Colombia on penalties in the round of 16, English manager Gareth Southgate is likely to be right in his decision to field a second-placed team against Belgium.
If England passes draft horses, Sweden, whose football brand is not the easiest to watch, will face Russia or Croatia, who face off Saturday in Sochi.
None of the teams on this side of the table, including England, would have started the tournament with realistic expectations of reaching the final.
Yet what was once a distant dream is getting closer and closer to reality.
Toby Davis report; Editing by Christian Radnedge
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