The World Cup quarterfinals are here, and if you had Norway in your final eight, you’re either a liar or a very savvy bettor. The last time Norway made it this far? Never. They’ve never even been to a World Cup this century. And now they’re here after knocking out Brazil, the five-time champions, in the round of 16. That’s not a fluke. That’s a statement.
Norway came into this tournament as the trendy dark horse pick, mostly because they have Erling Haaland and a bunch of guys who know how to get him the ball. But what we’ve seen so far is a team that can actually defend, too. They held Brazil to one goal over 120 minutes and won it on penalties. That’s not supposed to happen. But it did.
Switzerland is also in unfamiliar territory. First quarterfinal since 1954. They snuck past Colombia on penalties after three straight World Cup exits in the round of 16. Now they get Argentina. Lionel Messi is 39 and somehow still leading the Golden Boot race with eight goals. The man is defying every law of athletic aging. Argentina needed a dramatic comeback to beat Egypt in the round of 16, but they’re still the defending champions and still the team nobody wants to face.
Belgium’s last gasp or a real run?
Belgium’s Golden Generation is mostly retired or playing in Saudi Arabia now. But the remnants are still hanging around. Lukaku, De Bruyne, Courtois. They got bounced in the group stage last time. This year they crushed the USA 4-1 in the round of 16 and suddenly look dangerous again. They had a shaky group stage, but sometimes that’s the kind of team that grows into a tournament.
Morocco is trying to do what no African team had ever done before 2022: reach the semifinals. They did it in Qatar. Now they’re one win away from doing it again. The AFCON champions are the last African team standing, and they’ve got that same defensive discipline that carried them to the semifinals four years ago.
England, France, and the usual suspects
England’s 60-year wait for a major trophy is the kind of stat that gets thrown around every tournament. Thomas Tuchel’s team had to grind past Mexico in Mexico City, which is never easy. But they did it. The flaws are still there — they look vulnerable in midfield at times — but they keep finding ways to win.
France is the favorite. That’s not controversial. They’ve scored 13 goals in four games and haven’t lost. Didier Deschamps knows how to win these things. They’re bidding for a third straight final appearance. Only Brazil has ever done that, and that was in the 50s and 60s.
Spain hasn’t conceded a single goal in this tournament. Five clean sheets in a row. The European champions started slow with a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, but since then they’ve been flawless. That defense is real.
So here we are. Eight teams. Two wins from the final. The bracket is wide open. The heavyweights are still standing, but so are the upstarts. And Norway, of all teams, has a real shot at making history.
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