What matters on World Cup Day 17 🏆 | OneFootball

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Lewis Ambrose·30 June 2018

What matters on World Cup Day 17 🏆

Article image:What matters on World Cup Day 17 🏆

After one of the craziest World Cup group stages in living memory we’ve arrived at the business end of things.

The knockout rounds are here and Saturday is when it all starts to get very serious very quickly.


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France, Argentina, Uruguay, and Portugal are in action to kick off the knockout games. Three former World Cup winners and the reigning European champions. Ready?

France’s faltering forwards

Article image:What matters on World Cup Day 17 🏆

France are pretty big favourites against Argentina in Saturday’s opener. This is by far the weakest Argentina side in the last 15-20 years and they scraped through the group by the skin of their teeth.

However, this won’t be straightforward unless France suddenly click into gear. N’Golo KantĂ© has been incredibly impressive and Paul Pogba looked good in the first two group games but none of the other big names have delivered yet. Antoine Griezmann doesn’t quite seem to fit in, Kylian MbappĂ© has looked dangerous in fleeting moments, Ousmane DembĂ©lĂ© has disappointed.

On paper France absolutely look like one of the strongest sides in Russia but they eked through the group stage with three goals (including one VAR-awarded penalty) in games against Australia, Peru and Denmark.

Until now there’s been an over-reliance on Pogba to create and an over-reliance on the fullbacks to provide width. Didier Deschamps must find a way to get the best from the incredible talent at his disposal.

Messi’s moment

Of course Lionel Messi struck when Argentina needed him most against Nigeria on Tuesday. It may not have been the winner but Messi’s moment of magic was a perfectly-timed reminder to never write him off.

Just when Argentina looked helpless and on their knees, their talismanic captain delivered. France may be Saturday’s favourites but any team with Messi has a chance. If he turns it on in Kazan he may just inspire his side and drag them through.

If you’ve completely written off an Argentina that contains Leo Messi you simply haven’t been paying enough attention.

GodĂ­n v Ronaldo

Article image:What matters on World Cup Day 17 🏆

Imagine a game where Luis Suárez taking on Pepe is just an appetiser for the drama. On Saturday you don’t have to. This one’s for fans of what’s best referred to as ‘snide’ behaviour.

While Suárez and Pepe are quite literally dancing with the devil at one end of the pitch, Cristiano Ronaldo will be trying to best Diego Godín at the other. Godín has not only been one of the best defenders at the World Cup so far, he’s also a master of the dark arts. Ronaldo is hardly unfamiliar with them himself.

So much is said about Ronaldo v Messi or – today – Ronaldo v Suárez but Saturday evening’s clash gives us two true head-to-head battles between players who will be directly competing with each other for 90 minutes. These duels at each end of the pitch will most likely decide who goes through. No pressure.