World Cup round of 16 matches ranked: The best and worst knockout games
· Yahoo Sports
The insane drama of the round of 32 has given way to the expectation of more tense moments with the stakes even higher in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.
We have already seen European powers Netherlands and Germany knocked out. England got a major scare from DR Congo. Meanwhile, France cruised past Sweden, Norway got a dramatic defeat of Ivory Coast and Belgium staged a dramatic rally to get past Senegal. But the best moments were saved for last. Portugal rallied to get past Croatia with a stoppage-time winner and Argentina needed extra time to hold off an inspired Cape Verde.
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Those results from the past four days days have created some mouthwatering matchups in the round of 16. We ranked them from best to worst.
1. Spain vs. Portugal, July 6
These longtime rivals have met in the World Cup twice before with the most recent match coming in a dramatic 3-3 draw in the 2018 group stage that saw Cristiano Ronaldo score a hat trick. Ronaldo also scored an equalizer when the teams met last summer in the UEFA Nations League final won by Portugal in penalties. After a slow start, Spain has been slowly rounding into form and is one of two teams in the tournament not to allow a goal. Can Lamine Yamal at the age of 18 provide a changing of the guard by knocking out Ronaldo in what should be his final World Cup? Or can Portugal continue moving toward its first title? It should be a juicy matchup full of some of the best players in the world.
2. England vs. Mexico, July 5
This might be one of the matches of the tournament. England, fresh off a dramatic defeat of DR Congo, must head south and play in the famed Estadio Azteca against the home-standing El Tri. In addition to the crowd and the game being played at altitude, one day of extra rest should benefit Mexico. A lot will be on the midfield of Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson to control possession and break up Mexican attacks. Harry Kane has been great in the tournament, but needs more support from Jude Bellingham and whatever wingers start. Mexico has found a star in Julián Quiñones up front alongside Raul Jimenez. Both teams will want to push the pace. Expect goals and drama.
3. Norway vs. Brazil, July 5
Norway has rowed its way into the round of 16 for the first time with Erling Haaland unsurprisingly leading the way with five goals in three matches. The question for the Norwegians is whether their defense can stand up to the pace of Brazil and play out of the back under pressure. Martin Odegaard will be critical in the midfield. He'll need to be strong on the ball and find the right passes against a Brazilian midfield that is lacking pace. But up front the scoring of Vinicius Junior and Mattheus Cunha for Brazil could be the difference. Norway is a bit plodding in attack with Alexander Soroth playing on the wing instead of his normal striker position to accommodate Haaland. A move to Oscar Bobb would give the attack better fluidity.
4. Switzerland vs. Colombia, July 7
The two quietest winners of their group will meet in Vancouver in what should be an interesting clash of styles. The Swiss are your typical solid European side that has technical ability, defends well and has capable scoring options up front, notably Breel Embolo and Johan Manzambi. It's not an elite side but one very capable of an upset in the knockouts, especially if it can control the pace of the game. Colombia thrives with its athletic style surely will attempt to make this game more up and down. Luis Diaz of Bayern Munich is dangerous whenever he picks up the ball in the front third, and Daniel Munoz of Crystal Palace is a threat to create and score from the right side of the defense.
5. Belgium vs. United States, July 6
It was a great escape for Belgium with two goals in the final five minutes of regular time and then a penalty late in extra time to defeat Senegal. The win might be good for morale but it also showcased the limitations of a team with big names Kevin De Bruyne and Romalu Lukaku showing their age and a lack of athletic and technical ability in the midfield and defense. The Americans will be without striker Folarian Balogun after his red card in the previous round, which is a big loss in the attack. They have to find other ways to capitalize on chances that should come from their pressing, and their physical advantage should pay dividends when game gets stretched.
6. Argentina vs. Egypt, July 7
Twice Argentina went ahead of Cape Verde and twice the match was equalized. The back-and-forth tussle didn't get decided until extra time with an own goal push the defending champions into the next round. However, it wasn't a raucous celebration. Argentina looked out of gas by the end, raising questions about how this squad will fare against an opponent with better quality in the later rounds. That probably won't come against Egypt. While Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush are capable goal-scorers, the Egyptians are lacking in athletic ability to contain Lionel Messi. The first goal here will be critical with Argentina getting on the front foot of each match so far. What happens if it has to come from behind?
7. Morocco vs. Canada, July 4
A semifinalist in 2022, Morocco is an even better side at this World Cup with a blend of experience and youth across all three lines. Achraf Hakimi remains the talisman who can defend and make runs from the right back spot, while Ismael Saibari has been banging in goals. It's going to take a huge effort for Canada to defend for 90 minutes if it cannot get a foothold in the game. Alphonso Davies returned in the South Africa win, and that should help, but overall the attack was pretty lacking. Still, Jesse Marsch will play all the motivational cards to get this group inspired to put up a fight.
8. France vs. Paraguay, July 4
Congratulation to Paraguay for beating Germany. For that you earn a trip to steamy Philadelphia and a meeting with France. With Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele pouring in goals and Michael Olise leading in assists, the French attack is fluid and ruthless. Les Bleus haven't seen their defense tested much in its four matches, and that shouldn't change much here. The best bet for Paraguay is to bunker down and try to be clinical on the few opportunities that arise. The chances are slim, but that was the case against Germany, too. If France gets out early, this one could be over by halftime.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: World Cup round of 16 matches ranked: The best and worst knockout games