We have now reached the Quarter Final stages of the 2022 World Cup Finals in Qatar and from the original 32 finalists, we now have just eight teams remaining in with a chance of becoming the 2022 World Champions.
After a group stage that was characterised by many shock victories for teams, the Round of 16 tended to go with the bigger boys, albeit with one notable exception and that gives us perhaps at least three of the four quarter finals that many people expected.
In this article, we are going to preview those games and give you some of the best tips to back in each match up, as well as taking a look back at those Round of 16 matches.
All odds shown in this article for any of the four quarter final ties in the World Cup are courtesy of bet365 Sport.
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Let’s now take a closer look at how the team’s performed in the first stage of the Knockout rounds of the World Cup in Qatar; the Round of 16.
The favourites very much had their way of things in the Round of 16 apart from in the Morocco v Spain match where an uninventive Spain side could not break through and went out tamely, missing all their penalties in the shoot out while Morocco converted three of their four to progress.
Outside that, all the favourites for the Round of 16 ties progressed with the Netherland, France, England, Brazil and Portugal putting in excellent performances.
Croatia have now won four penalty shoot outs in a row in the World Cup knockout stages after their 3-1 win on penalties over Japan.
Lionel Messi, Goncalo Ramos, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham were the individual players to catch the eye in the Round of 16, all three inspiring their teams on to the last eight.
World Cup 2022 – Leading Goalscorers
World Cup 2022 – Assists
World Cup 2022 – Most Goals Scored By QF Teams (Group Stage & Round of 16)
World Cup 2022 – Fewest Goals Conceded By QF Teams (Group Stage & Round of 16)
Head To Head
The teams have met in the 2006 and 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals and Brazil were the winners on both occasions winning 1-0 in the Group Stages of the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany and the teams met in the opening game of the Brazil World Cup in 2014, where the hosts came back from a goal down to win the game 3-1 in Sao Paulo.
Croatia World Cup Form – P4, W1, D3*, L0 – F4 A2 (+2)
*one of the drawn games was their penalties victory over Japan in the Round of 16
Brazil World Cup Form – P4, W3, D0, L1 – F7, A2 (+5)
Probable Teams
Croatia – (4-3-3) – GK – Livakovic, DR – Juranovic, DL – Barisic, DC – Lovren, DC – Gvardiol, MC – Brozovic, MC – Kovacic, MC – Modric, AMR – Kramaric, AML – Perisic, AC – Petkovic
Brazil – (4-2-3-1) – GK – Ederson, DR – Eder Militao, DL – Danilo, DC – Marquinhos, DC – Thiago Silva, MC – Lucas Paqueta, MC – Casemiro, AML, Raphinha, AMC – Neymar, AMR – Vinicius Jr, AC – Richarlison
Match Preview & Betting Tips
Brazil have beaten Croatia in both their last two World Cup Finals games, both of which came in the Group Stages. Brazil will have confidence from that but will also be wary of the game going to penalties with the Croatian’s having won all four of their most recent World Cup Finals penalty shootouts across the current and previous World Cup.
Brazil will no doubt start the favourites but I think this game will be won or lost in midfield and that is probably where Croatia are strongest. Gvardiol will have to be at his best to stop Richarlison, but I think Brazil’s wide players, plus Neymar, will be the ones to cause the damage.
Kick Off Time & Venue – 7pm at the Lusail Stadium
Head To Head
Netherlands and Argentina have met five times at the FIFA World Cup Finals, including in the final in 1978. In 1974, Netherlands defeated Argentina 4-0, but in 1978, the Argentineans gained revenge in the World Cup Final, winning 3-1 after extra time.
A late Denis Bergkamp goal gave the Netherlands a 2-1 win in the 1998 World Cup Quarter Finals, and the teams drew 0-0 in the 2006 World Cup Finals Group Stage. Their last meeting was at the 2014 finals in Brazil in the Semifinals, where Argentina knocked out the Dutch on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
Netherlands World Cup Form – P4, W3, D1, L0 – F8 A2 (+6)
Argentina World Cup Form – P4, W3, D0, L1 – F7, A3 (+4)
Probable Teams
Netherlands – (3-4-1-2) – GK – Noppert, DMR – Dumfries, DML – Blind, DC – Timber, DC – Van Dijkl, DC – Ake, MC – De Roon, MC – De Jong, AMC – Klaasen, AC – Gakpo, AC – Depay
Argentina – (4-3-3) – GK – Martinez, DR – Molina, DL – Acuna, DC – Romero, DC – Otamendi, MC – Fernandez, MC – De Paul, MC, Mac Allister, AC – Alvarez, AML – Messi, AMR – Papu Gomez
Match Preview & Betting Tips
Messi against Van Dijk will likely be the byeline in this game, but the outcome of this match won’t likely be decided by these two icons but rather their team mates around them. The Dutch have been quietly effective at the World Cup and after a slow start, Argentina too have found some form.
However, Messi springing to life against Poland was great to see not just for the World Cup as a whole but for Argentina and they are going to need him to be at his best to land the result that they want here.
For the Netherlands, Memphis Depay’s return is a positive one and he scored in the last game against the United States and if the Dutch are to triumph then they are going to need his sharpness in front of goal.
Kick Off Time & Venue – 3pm at the Al Thumama Stadium
Head To Head
Portugal and Morocco have met just twice previously and both have come in the Group Stages of the World Cup Finals. In 1986, Morocco secured a stunning 3-1 win over the Portuguese to top their group, eliminate Portugal and reach the knockout phase, but in 2018, Portugal won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Ronaldo.
Morocco World Cup Form – P4, W2, D2*, L0 – F4 A1 (+2)
*one of the drawn games was their 3-0 penalties victory over Spain in the Round of 16
Portugal World Cup Form – P4, W3, D0, L1 – F12, A5 (+7)
Probable Teams
Morocco – (4-3-3) – GK – Bono, DR – Hakimi, DL – Mazraoui DC – Saiss, DC – Aguerd MC – Amrabat, MC – Ounahi, MC – Amallah, AMR – Boufal, AML – Ziyech, AC – En-Nesyri
Portugal – (4-3-3) – GK – Costa, DR – Dalot, DL – Guerriero, DC – Ruben Dias, DC – Pepe, MC – Otavio, MC – William Carvalho, MC, Bernardo Silva, AML – Joao Felix, AMR – Bruno Fernandes AC – Goncalo Ramos
Match Preview & Betting Tips
Can Morocco cause another huge upset and knock out the other Iberian peninsula team? After their penalties victory over Spain, Morocco have already surpassed their biggest World Cup wishes, and now a Portugal side who bagged six against Switzerland stand in their way.
The omission of Ronaldo from the team was the big talking point ahead of that game, but without him Portugal were brilliant and fully deserved their margin of victory against a Swiss side that just were not at the races after conceding an early goal.
Morocco though are very solid defensively and I can see this being a game that is settled by just the one goal, but if someone is to get that, I’d imagine it to be Portugal.
Kick Off Time & Venue – 7pm at the Al Bayt Stadium
Head To Head
Despite being regular opponents, most of the games have been friendlies between the two, however they have met in two World Cup Finals tournaments both in the Group Stages. In 1966, Roger Hunt’s double gave England a 2-0 win at Wembley and then in 1982, another double, this time from Bryan Robson and a strike from Paul Mariner meant that Bruno Bellone’s goal for France was a consolation as England ran out 3-1 winners.
England World Cup Form – P4, W3, D1, L0 – F12 A2 (+10)
France World Cup Form – P4, W3, D0, L1 – F9, A4 (+5)
Probable Teams
England – (4-3-3) – GK – Pickford, DR – Walker, DL – Shaw, DC – Maguire, DC – Stones, MC – Rice, MC – Henderson, MC – Bellingham, AMR – Saka, AML – Foden, AC – Kane
France – (4-2-3-1) – GK – Lloris, DR – Kounde, DL – Hernandez.T, DC – Varane, DC – Upamecano, MC – Rabiot, MC – Tchouameni, AML- Mbappe, AMC – Griezmann, AMR – Dembele, AC – Giroud
Match Preview & Betting Tips
Can England end a miserable run of results against France in recent times and claim the win to put them into the semifinals? The French start as the big favourites here, chiefly due to Mbappe’s form and skill and England will have to find a way to deal with him if they are to win the game.
But the flip side is that France will know that they won’t have faced a team as creative, inventive or dangerous as England so far and with England’s strikers all chipping in with goals, Gareth Southgate doesn’t have a dilemma of who to put in, but who to leave out.
It is this ability to score from anywhere which England may have to their advantage and although it will be a close one, I am backing England to eventually come through with the win.
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