🌟 🌍 World Cup Team of the Round of 16 | OneFootball

Eight teams are now just three wins away from World Cup glory.

But with a break between the round of 16 and the quarter-finals, we have time to look back at the last set of fixtures and pick out an XI of the most impressive players.

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GK: Dominik Livaković – Croatia

No goalkeeper truly shone in normal time, though plenty made some fine saves, but Livaković wrote his name in history when it came to the penalty shootout.

Holding his nerve to not go too early against Japan, the goalkeeper saved a record-equalling three penalties in one shootout, becoming just the third goalkeeper to do so in World Cup history.

RB: Denzel Dumfries – Netherlands

A tournament player if ever there was one, Dumfries had a superb Euros in 2021 and is at it again with the Netherlands now.

His marauding performance against the USA saw him create two goals with superbly weighted cutbacks, before finishing the third himself on the volley. A true threat in the final third.

CB: Pepe – Portugal

A man for the big occasion, Pepe was the cooler head in the Portugal backline as Rúben Dias struggled with Breel Embolo in the opening stages. And then he powered home the header that both put the game beyond Switzerland and put his name into the record books as the oldest ever goalscorer of a World Cup knockout stage goal.

Not just another excellent defensive display but a goal to boot.

CB: Romain Saïss – Morocco

Saïss made 10 — yes, 10! — clearances as Morocco stood firm against Spain. This wasn’t backs to the wall from the African side, but considered organisation and Saïss was at the heart of it.

A dominant display, he marshalled the tournament’s finest defensive performance.

LB: Daley Blind – Netherlands

One Dutch wingback wasn’t enough. Louis van Gaal’s side defended deep on Saturday, rather than dominating possession, but Daley Blind repeatedly pounced on loose balls and was, like Dumfries, a huge danger when he ventured forward.

An early chance went missing but that was just a sign of things to come before the Ajax defender cooly slid home the Netherlands’ second goal before finding Dumfries to score the third.

CM: Lucas Paquetá – Brazil

Brazil were sublime against South Korea and Paquetá, asked to contribute heavily in the final third before scurrying back to aid Casemiro in midfield, may have the most difficult role in the entire team.

Not that you would be able to tell when watching him.

CM: Sofyan Amrabat – Morocco

If Saïss marshals the Morocco defence, Amrabat does the same for the midfield.

The 26-year-old has been sublime all tournament and the performance against Spain just showed he can do it all — using the ball intelligently and plugging gaps in front of the backline as they appear — against the very best.

CM: Jude Bellingham – England

There is nothing he cannot do. England were not convincing for the opening 37 minutes against Senegal but Bellingham blew the game open with his bursting midfield run that eventually saw him assist Jordan Henderson’s opener.

As tenacious without the ball as he is with it, Bellingham can go on to become the ultimate all-round midfielder if he isn’t that already and England are giving him the platform he needs to dominate matches.

RW: Richarlison – Brazil

He didn’t play on the right, but this is where a little poetic licence is involved. It was, quite simply, harder to leave him out than to leave Lionel Messi or Bruno Fernandes out.

The Brazilian number nine won a penalty before scoring what might just be the goal of the tournament, finishing off a superb passing move he had begun by juggling the ball with his head. Richarlison’s movement is unselfish, his work rate unending, and his ability underrated.

CF: Gonçalo Ramos – Portugal

That might just be the greatest full debut int the history of international football. Gonçalo Ramos replaced Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal and the team was transformed by his willing running and ability to stretch the defence.

Oh, and he scored a hat-trick. The first was a rocket into Yann Sommer’s near top corner before could react, the second was instinctive after a fine near post run, the third was delicate as he had time to consider how to finish his one-on-one. Superb.

LW: Kylian Mbappé – France

Who else? Mbappé did not have his best game against Poland but came to life after the break.

Both goals were superb and there just isn’t a more electric player at the entire tournament. The best in the world right now?