THE World Cup was already in tatters before the start of the quarter-final phase, and the stage was set for Brazil to pick up the pieces.
But the shocks kept coming and so too did a historic first.
Belgium stunned Brazil in a 2-1 upset in Kazan on Saturday morning (AEST) — two first half goals giving Roberto Martinez’s men enough breathing room to withstand an attacking barrage from the men in yellow during a second half in which they tried desperately to keep their campaign alive.
Brazil got one goal back courtesy of a Renato Augusto header with 10 minutes remaining but it was too little, too late as Belgium held on for victory — its first over the football powerhouse since 1963.
The result means for the first time ever the World Cup semi-finals won’t feature at least one of Argentina, Brazil or Germany. All three countries were in the semis four years ago — highlighting just how confronting their fall from grace in 2018 has been.
Germany didn’t even make it out of the group stage — the first time that’s happened since 1938 — and an Argentine outfit that looked sloppy throughout was on the wrong end of a 4-3 result against France in the Round of 16.
Bizarrely, all three nations have been burnt in Kazan. It’s where South Korea humiliated Germany, France defeated Argentina and Belgium took care of Brazil.
Spain and Portugal were also dumped out early and now Brazil is gone, the reality of a World Cup without football’s biggest has hit fans right between the eyes.
It was a showpiece event bereft of some of the sport’s giants to begin with when the likes of Italy and the Netherlands failed to qualify, and the unpredictable nature of knockout football has exposed how little reputations have to do with Cup success.
France was a pre-tournament favourite and Belgium was a smoky who had the potential to go deep if stars Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin de Bruyne shone. They’ve done just that but so too have French guns Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe, and both sides will be upbeat about their prospects of taking home the silverware as they prepare to clash in the semi-finals.
England is also full of confidence as it finds itself in what’s considered the friendlier side of the draw, aiming to win a World Cup for the first time since 1966. Against all odds and logic it faces Sweden in the quarter-finals on Sunday morning (AEST) after winning its first ever Cup penalty shootout against Colombia in the Round of 16, and long suffering fans will be salivating over the prospect of winning the ultimate prize, which has eluded them for so long.
Victory over the 24th-ranked side in the world will see the Three Lions take on the winner of Russia vs Croatia — a match few expected to see at this point in the tournament.
Russia was the lowest ranked team coming into the World Cup but a parochial home crowd has spurred it on to rousing victories over Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Spain in what has been a fairytale for the ages.
Croatia too has impressed as it scored seven goals and conceded just one in winning all three of its group games. It then held its nerve to overcome Denmark in a penalty shootout to progress to the quarter-finals and its golden generation, which includes the likes of Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic — all in their 30s — knows this is its best chance at tasting glory.
Before the tournament Croatia would have jumped at the chance to face Russia for a place in the final four, but the way the home side has risen to every challenge means the Croatians will be wary of what confronts them in Sochi.
