96 out of 104 matches have been played. Only eight teams still dream of the title. Let’s take a quick look at some numbers and interesting facts.The race for the Golden Boot is on fire. Lionel Messi leads with eight goals. Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland follow with seven each. Harry Kane has six. The crazy part? All four are still in the tournament with their teams. This means the race for the Golden Shoe is just heating up. Messi, Mbappé, Haaland, Kane – four of the best strikers in the world, all still in the hunt, all still hungry. Football can be truly beautiful.And then there’s a very strange streak. Japan lost in the first knockout round to Brazil. Brazil then got knocked out by Norway. So far, so good. But here’s the kicker: In previous World Cups, the team that eliminated Japan has always lost to the eventual winner. Always. Without exception. So if this peculiar streak holds, a certain Erling Haaland may be crowned the new world champion on July 19. The man plays as if someone secretly installed a second engine in him. We’ll keep a watchful eye on that.And on Thursday evening at 10 PM, it continues. France against Morocco. The top favorite against one of the surprise teams of the tournament. I’m looking forward to it.
Potti’s Playoff Compass
The quarter-finals of this World Cup are set – and out of the original 48 teams, only eight remain. Six of them are from Europe, joined by Morocco, the last African representative, and Argentina, the last South American nation. North America, Asia, and Oceania are completely out of the race.What’s especially exciting is who made it to the final eight. With Belgium, Morocco, Norway, and Switzerland, several teams in the quarter-finals are ones that only a few experts had on their radar. These are exactly the kinds of stories that make a World Cup. Favorites stumble, outsiders rise to the occasion – and suddenly everything seems possible.Our little DACH project is still very much alive. Germany and Austria may have bowed out, but Switzerland is still flying the flag. Admittedly, it was a very close call against Colombia, but in the knockout stage, only progression matters. Now, with Argentina, awaits perhaps the biggest challenge of the entire tournament. Impossible? Surely not. Cape Verde and Egypt have already impressively proven that even the reigning world champion is far from invulnerable.And finally, a crucial personnel update from the Potti universe: Our intern was reportedly spotted this morning at around 5:30 AM, a little worse for wear, in downtown Basel. Officially, he was on an intensive research mission to document Swiss party culture following their quarter-final advance. Unofficially, however, various cold drinks and a cheese fondue may have played a not-insignificant role. His detailed report is still pending – provided he has found his way back to the hotel and can remember anything at all.
The Matches from YesterdayRound of 16: Argentina vs. Egypt 3:2
What a Round of 16 match! Argentina and Egypt engaged in a real knockout thriller for over 90 minutes, providing suspense until the very last second. The North Africans defended passionately and had a nearly impenetrable support in their outstanding goalkeeper. Time and again, he thwarted high-quality chances from the Argentinians, leaving them desperately frustrated. At the same time, Egypt was extremely dangerous with their lightning-fast counters, utilizing two of these attacks to take a 2:0 lead at one point.But one thing distinguished the titleholder that evening: They never lost faith in a comeback. Argentina ramped up the pressure with each passing minute, pinning Egypt deeper into their own half and creating chance after chance. While the Egyptians visibly faded in the final moments, the Argentinians threw everything forward. Led by Lionel Messi, the spectacular comeback materialized: first a goal to close the gap, shortly thereafter the equalizer by Messi, and finally the celebrated winning goal in stoppage time. A thrilling Round of 16 match that had it all – great saves, dangerous counters, drama until the end, and an impressive comeback by the reigning world champion.
Round of 16: Switzerland vs. Colombia 0:0 (4:3 on penalties)
Switzerland secured the last quarter-final ticket in a gripping, long goalless Round of 16 against Colombia. After 120 intense minutes without a goal, penalties decided the match – and the Swiss held their nerves to win 4:3. Ruben Vargas converted the decisive penalty, taking Switzerland to the last eight of a World Cup for the first time since 1954 (!) again.For large stretches, it was a evenly matched encounter. Both teams defended disciplined and allowed few goal-scoring opportunities. Initially, Colombia appeared a bit more dangerous, but Gregor Kobel was there with strong saves multiple times. After halftime, Switzerland took control at times but couldn’t break through decisively. In extra time, the lucky punch was in the air for both sides: Colombia hit the post, while Zeki Amdouni squandered a clear chance against Colombian goalkeeper Camilo Vargas. The decision had to be made from the penalty spot.In the shootout, Switzerland showed slightly stronger nerves. Although Manuel Akanji also missed, Colombia made two critical misses. When Ruben Vargas converted the final penalty, the jubilation was enormous – and Switzerland’s dream of a fairytale World Cup continues. Now, a mammoth task awaits them in the quarter-finals against the reigning world champion Argentina.
Wednesday, July 08 – no matches scheduled for today
The Matches from YesterdayRound of 16: Argentina vs. Egypt 3:2
What a Round of 16 match! Argentina and Egypt engaged in a real knockout thriller for over 90 minutes, providing suspense until the very last second. The North Africans defended passionately and had a nearly impenetrable support in their outstanding goalkeeper. Time and again, he thwarted high-quality chances from the Argentinians, leaving them desperately frustrated. At the same time, Egypt was extremely dangerous with their lightning-fast counters, utilizing two of these attacks to take a 2:0 lead at one point.But one thing distinguished the titleholder that evening: They never lost faith in a comeback. Argentina ramped up the pressure with each passing minute, pinning Egypt deeper into their own half and creating chance after chance. While the Egyptians visibly faded in the final moments, the Argentinians threw everything forward. Led by Lionel Messi, the spectacular comeback materialized: first a goal to close the gap, shortly thereafter the equalizer by Messi, and finally the celebrated winning goal in stoppage time. A thrilling Round of 16 match that had it all – great saves, dangerous counters, drama until the end, and an impressive comeback by the reigning world champion.Round of 16: Switzerland vs. Colombia 0:0 (4:3 on penalties)
Switzerland secured the last quarter-final ticket in a gripping, long goalless Round of 16 against Colombia. After 120 intense minutes without a goal, penalties decided the match – and the Swiss held their nerves to win 4:3. Ruben Vargas converted the decisive penalty, taking Switzerland to the last eight of a World Cup for the first time since 1954 (!) again.For large stretches, it was a evenly matched encounter. Both teams defended disciplined and allowed few goal-scoring opportunities. Initially, Colombia appeared a bit more dangerous, but Gregor Kobel was there with strong saves multiple times. After halftime, Switzerland took control at times but couldn’t break through decisively. In extra time, the lucky punch was in the air for both sides: Colombia hit the post, while Zeki Amdouni squandered a clear chance against Colombian goalkeeper Camilo Vargas. The decision had to be made from the penalty spot.In the shootout, Switzerland showed slightly stronger nerves. Although Manuel Akanji also missed, Colombia made two critical misses. When Ruben Vargas converted the final penalty, the jubilation was enormous – and Switzerland’s dream of a fairytale World Cup continues. Now, a mammoth task awaits them in the quarter-finals against the reigning world champion Argentina.
Wednesday, July 08 – no matches scheduled for today