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Forty-eight national football teams had a chance to win the World Cup on June 11, and only four countries’ hopes are still alive.
The top four teams in the FIFA rankings, with eight previous titles, will lock horns on Tuesday and Wednesday to try to secure a place in what is expected to be the most successful game in the world: the World Cup Final at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 19.
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Al Jazeera is competing for the title:
4. Argentina
What’s this? Defenders of heroes as outsiders?
Well, Algeria, Austria, Jordan, Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland should be one of the best ways to get to the business end of the World Cup, and La Albiceleste didn’t really impress.
They were made to sweat by Cape Verde and Egypt in the knockout stages before finding a way to win in the most difficult situations, and the pattern was repeated against Switzerland in Kansas City on Saturday night, when they went nearly 90 minutes without a shot on target following Alexis Mac Allister’s early goal.
Their aging side won after 120 minutes in hot conditions. If Switzerland had kept 11 men on the field, things could have been very different, but, again, in the end, the defenders found a way to win when they were at the bottom.
Surely he can’t go away with another performance like this against England? Well, England fans can say the same about the Three Lions. Both Harry Kane and Lionel Messi have also failed to score in the last eight matches.
An outpouring of emotion from Messi throughout Egypt’s comeback win showed just how close the three-time winners were to being eliminated. In a tournament already affected by England, expect tempers to rise and tears to be shed from all sides.
If Argentina, and – in his first appearance against the Three Lions – Messi, can recapture what they did and win, chasing their old rivals in the competition in the third consecutive defeat, then the confidence and the level of confidence they will take to the final will be great.
However, nothing they’ve shown in the US this summer suggests it will happen.
And even then, whether it would be enough to give them a chance against European champions Spain, or a revenge team for France who lost on penalties in the Qatar 2022 final, is another story.
3. England
Have we seen the best of England this tournament? Maybe not. And yet, here they are, in the semifinals for only the fourth time.
Norway’s win was neither pretty nor convincing, and manager Thomas Tuchel admitted they were lucky to get through, thanks in large part to Jude Bellingham putting the team on his shoulders in the short term. Can a midfielder really win the Golden Boot? He is only two behind Messi and Kylian Mbappe who have six goals already.
Much to Tuchel’s disappointment, blocking a 20-minute patch in the second half of the opening game 4-2 against Croatia, England still did not have a team, and relied on a slow explosion to lead them 3-2 to protect from the big 16 victory over Mexico in the cauldron of Azte.
What they have shown is character, plenty of it, and they will need more if they are to end their 60-year quest for a second World Cup title.
The game against Argentina will be more than 11 vs 11; The ghosts of football history will be with both teams, and the chaos and pressure are sure to be great.
Another good thing for England is that they have already made the tournament: They are fourth in the world, they have reached the last four. Anything else would be a bonus. No one sees them as the top two teams in the world, which will help ease the burden of expectation.
After a trip to Mexico City, and the extreme heat and humidity of Miami, returning to 22-Celsius (71.6F) in Atlanta, where England defeated DR Congo in 32, will be welcomed.
They also have no new suspensions to deal with, with Jarell Quansah having one game left of his two-match ban to serve; and there were Reece James moments against Norway. Meanwhile, England will be hoping for Declan Rice to make a full recovery after coming on for 45 minutes after being sidelined through illness.
Argentina’s aging squad has struggled against the style, pace and guile of Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland in the last three rounds, and Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, and Marcus Rashford will be well placed to exploit this.
Beyond Messi, Argentina haven’t asked themselves too many questions, although Julian Alvarez’s stunning strike against Switzerland could be the start of his World Cup.
All things considered, expect England to make it to the final, but France would be a step too far, and even Spain would be a big question mark, even if they avenge their defeat in the final of Euro 2024.
2. Spain
They are the third runners-up not to have secured top spot in the tournament, with a one-sided showdown against Austria in the round of 32.
La Roja’s stoic defense was hammered for the first time this summer by Belgium in eight years, but the 649 minutes leading up to that goal was the longest unbeaten run in World Cup history, and they have still conceded seven shots on target in their six games so far.
Although the numbers that have given the goals may not be visible, Lamine Yamal has shown signs of returning to top form after the injury at the end of the season in April, while the attacking team of La Roja has caused problems for the defense in all six games so far, and Mikel Merino has written himself into the legend with the final winners against Portugal and Belgium.
Four-goal scorer Mikel Oyarzabal has been dangerous in the last few games, and is unlikely to cause too much of a scare in France’s backline.
With young defender Pau Cubarsi looking at home on the biggest stage of all, he is set to face the same test as Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele.
If they make the final, Spain will be favorites to win, having won the World Cup the only time they have reached the last four, but despite beating France in their last two tournaments, the third round should be beyond them.
1. France
Before meeting Morocco in the last eight, we confirmed that France is the team in the field with four dangerous weapons in attack and a defense that, despite not being tested, has only allowed two goals in five games.
Well, make it two out of six, although they were untested, such was the Atlas Lions’ toothless attack on the night in their 2-0 defeat.
Mbappe added to his Golden Boot credentials and all-time World Cup record with another fine goal against Morocco, and Olise, Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola continue to threaten on the pitch like no other team in the world can.
Spain, especially their defense, will present some problems, and France’s ineffective defense could be tested again this time, with the likes of Dani Olmo, Alex Baena, Ferran Torres and Fabian Ruiz getting into good positions around Oyarzabal, and not to mention the excellent Merino.
Whoever beats France will surely lift the World Cup, but there are no teams left who can match the strength of Les Bleus’ players. While Spain will be their toughest challenge, it’s one you’d expect Didier Deschamps’ men to win, having been boosted by La Roja’s defeats in Euro 2024 and the Nations League over the past two seasons.
