1 hour ago 
ByJoe Bradshaw
BBC Sport elder journalist
This expanded World Cup has already produced immoderate epic games - and the bully quality is the line-up for the quarter-finals is earnestly intriguing.
Six European sides positive 1 each from Africa and South America volition effort to get to wrong a crippled of the last successful 4 compelling matches starting connected Thursday.
All 4 ties person plentifulness of involvement - and happily each but the past 1 kicks disconnected astatine a sociable hour.
So what tin we look guardant to successful the 4 quarter-finals? This is your usher to the past eight.
2022 semi-final rematch - with a difference
France flooded Paraguay to scope quarter-final
France v Morocco, Atlanta Stadium, Thursday 21:00 BST
What to ticker retired for: While Morocco's tally to the past 4 successful Qatar was a surprise, this broadside contending successful the United States are overmuch much than plucky underdogs.
Against Canada past Saturday, the Africa Cup of Nations' champions (pending an entreaty by Senegal after a arguable final successful January), fielded conscionable 4 of the broadside that mislaid successful the semi-final to France 4 years ago.
They play with dynamism and a swagger, and volition beryllium France's sternest trial truthful far.
For the 2022 runners-up, lone 3 of the broadside that played successful that semi-final started Saturday's triumph implicit Paraguay. The emergence of centre-back William Saliba and originative maestro Michael Olise are among the refresh for Didier Deschamps' broadside since then.
Kylian Mbappe is inactive the prima crook and volition proceed his bid to pip Argentina's Lionel Messi to some the Golden Boot and rubric of all-time apical scorer successful World Cup tournaments.
Key stats: Half of France's World Cup defeats this period person been inflicted by African teams (three retired of six).
Morocco person not mislaid successful their past 34 matches, but they person ne'er beaten France, who person won 7 successful a enactment and 11 of their past 12 matches.
How to follow: Listen to afloat BBC Radio 5 Live commentary connected BBC Sounds and travel unrecorded substance updates connected the BBC Sport website and app.
Attack v defence - tin Belgium's forwards yet breach Spain?
Belgium marque airy enactment of USA to acceptable up quarter-final necktie with Spain
Spain v Belgium, Los Angeles Stadium, Friday 20:00 BST
What to ticker retired for: Belgium's 13 goals are the third-highest tally astatine this World Cup (behind Argentina and France's 14), and they person chopped escaped against New Zealand, Senegal and USA successful their past 3 games.
Romelu Lukaku mightiness not beryllium super-svelte but helium has scored 3 goals disconnected the bench, astatine an mean of 1 each 67 minutes, portion Arsenal's Leandro Trossard has served up 2 goals and 2 assists.
Spain will, obviously, beryllium a importantly harder test. They are yet to concede astatine this tournament, and their six consecutive cleanable sheets - including their last crippled astatine the 2022 finals - is the longest tally by immoderate broadside successful World Cup history.
In their matches truthful far, they person averaged an expected goals against of conscionable 0.3 - the lowest by immoderate squad since records began successful 1966.
Key stats: Under Luis de la Fuente, Spain person progressed from each six of their World Cup oregon European Championship knockout games. This is their archetypal quarter-final since winning the South Africa tourney successful 2010.
Spain are unbeaten against Belgium successful 11 appearances (won nine, drawn two). Belgium indispensable anticipation past repeats itself, aft they bushed Spain connected penalties successful the quarter-finals of Mexico '86.
How to follow: Watch unrecorded connected BBC One and BBC iPlayer, positive perceive to BBC Radio 5 Live commentary connected BBC Sounds and travel unrecorded substance updates connected the BBC Sport website and app.
Kane v Haaland - a striker duel for the ages
How 'remarkable' Haaland led Norway to triumph implicit Brazil
Norway v England, Miami Stadium, Saturday 22:00 BST
What to ticker retired for: Norway extremity instrumentality Erling Haaland has scored 7 goals successful 4 games astatine the World Cup and was astatine his objective champion successful netting doubly to sound retired five-time winners Brazil successful the past 16.
The Manchester City striker has 62 goals successful 54 internationals - an mean of 1 each 71 minutes. He is besides connected a tally of scoring in14 consecutive games for his country, with 27 goals successful that time.
However, lurking conscionable 1 extremity down Haaland successful the contention for the Golden Boot is England skipper Harry Kane, whose punishment against Mexico proved the victor successful a World Cup classic.
The Bayern Munich forward, 32, scored much goals for nine and state (73) than anyone other successful European shot successful 2025-26 and has continued that signifier successful North America.
With 14, helium has go England's all-time starring goalscorer astatine World Cups and looks successful signifier to assistance himself to much successful this quarter-final.
Key stats: England volition enactment successful their 11th World Cup quarter-final - the third-highest fig down Brazil and Germany (both connected 14). England, however, person lone won 3 of their games astatine this stage.
By contrast, Norway person lone qualified for 4 World Cups and this is the archetypal clip they person ever reached the quarter-finals of a large tournament. They person done it the hard mode by scoring and conceding successful each of their games truthful far. Only West Germany successful 1954 person reached a World Cup semi-final with specified a record.
How to follow: Listen to afloat BBC Radio 5 Live commentary connected BBC Sounds and travel unrecorded substance updates connected the BBC Sport website and app.
Can Argentina support uncovering a way?
Argentina implicit bonzer comeback to bushed Egypt
Argentina v Switzerland, Kansas City Stadium, Sunday 02:00 BST
What to ticker retired for: This volition beryllium the 3rd successive knockout crippled wherever Argentina are wide favourites - but truthful acold it has been acold from creaseless advancement for the reigning champions.
Pushed to other clip by minnows Cape Verde successful the past 32, they past someway produced the latest comeback successful World Cup past successful the adjacent round, with vanquished opponents Egypt near furious and claiming "injustice".
Under Murat Yakin, Switzerland person proved obdurate opponents and person their ain entertainer successful 20-year-old Johan Mazambi, though helium missed their penalty shootout victory implicit Colombia done injury. This is their archetypal quality successful a World Cup quarter-final since 1954 and mightiness fancy their chances.
Key stat: For each his glorious statistics, Messi added an unwanted 1 connected Tuesday erstwhile helium became the archetypal subordinate to miss 2 penalties astatine a World Cup.
His aboriginal extremity did instrumentality him wide of Mbappe successful the contention for the Golden Boot with eight, however.
How to follow: Listen to afloat BBC Radio 5 Live commentary connected BBC Sounds and travel unrecorded substance updates connected the BBC Sport website and app.
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