Football World Cup: What if: Round of 16 is reached

And then – what anticipated finals await fans in the coming days? There are still a number of constellations, in some of which particularly well-known names in world football would come together. Three examples.

Quarterfinals Brazil – England (July 11)

The Three Lions with their German coach Thomas Tuchel will meet Mexico in the round of 16 on the German night next Monday (2 a.m. CEST/MagentaTV). If they win, record world champions Brazil could wait in the quarter-finals in the knockout round. To do this, the South Americans have to knock the Norwegians around star striker Erling Haaland out of the tournament in their round of 16 this Sunday (10 p.m. CEST/MagentaTV).

Semi-final France – Spain (July 14)

The French world champions from 2018 will meet Paraguay in their round of 16 this evening (11 p.m. CEST/MagentaTV) – so they would have been the German opponents. Canada or Morocco would wait in the quarterfinals. Spain, most recently European champions in 2024 in Germany, will face Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo in the round of 16 on Monday (9 p.m. CEST/ZDF and MagentaTV). The opponents in the quarter-finals would then be either the host USA or Belgium.

Semi-final Brazil – Argentina (July 15)

Should defending champion Argentina prevail against Egypt on Tuesday (6 p.m. CEST/ARD and MagentaTV), Colombia or Switzerland would first wait in the quarter-finals. Brazil would first have to eliminate Haaland’s Norwegians and then Tuchel’s English or Mexico – and would then be ready for the showdown between the South American football heavyweights.