Europe and South America resume their globalist struggle with new faces

By Toby Davis

Russia (Reuters) – Europe and America South will fight again for the supremacy of football in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, but after the elimination of many candidates for the title, there is a sense of freshness. who has been away from the case for a long time

While Africa, Asia and North America will not be represented in the round of the top eight, at least one of the finalists of the tournament played in Russia did not win. The title has never done it or has not done it for more than half a century

Favorites like Germany, Spain and the United States. Argentina being eliminated from a tournament that has had a series of surprises, the World Cup seems clearly unbalanced. In one half, England, who played his last final when he won the title in 1966, and Sweden, who lost to Brazil the deciding match of the tournament they organized in 1958 will meet in Samara on Saturday. The winner of this match will face the one who overcomes the key between Croatia and Russia.

Neither the local team, whose best performance was the semifinal that reached in 1966 when she played as the former Soviet Union, The best four in 1998 had to reach this example, but they outclassed many supposedly superior rivals.

On the other side of the table, Brazil, five times champion, will face the so-called "golden generation" of Belgium and France. , world champion in 1998, will face Uruguay, who won the tournament twice: in 1930 and 1950.

In this context, everything is ready to begin the usual battle between the two zones that dominated football throughout history

NEW IDEAS

For a long time discarded of preconceived ideas, the quarter-finals of the World Cup will have European teams of good football against South American rivals with mint defensive and pragmatic.

Brazil and Uruguay have the best defenses of the World Cup, in which they conceded only one goal in four matches. On the other hand, their rivals, Belgium and France, have a more upright football that can penetrate any defense.

The Brazilian defensive record under Titus was remarkable, having received only six goals in 25 games. His opponent, Belgium, is however the most outstanding team of the tournament with 12 goals scored in his four consecutive victories.

However, when he will face Brazil in Kazan on Friday, the Belgians may wish to face Sweden, Something that could have happened had they lost their last group match against the US. England, whose defeat was generously rewarded by a much easier run to the finals.

After beating Colombia in penalty kicks in the last 16 minutes, England coach Gareth Southgate will likely feel his decision to play with substitutes against Belgium was good [19659005] If England beats the surprising Sweden, she will face Russia or Croatia, which will meet Saturday in Sochi.

None of the teams on this side of the table, including England, have probably started the tournament with real expectations to reach the final.

However, what was once a distant dream becomes closer and closer to reality.

(Report by Toby Davis Published by Rodrigo Charme in Spanish)