European nation guaranteed to win World Cup after Brazil's elimination

It wasn't a good day for South America at the World Cup.

After Uruguay was sent home by France in Friday's opening quarter-final clash, five-time champion Brazil promptly followed Oscar Tabarez's men out the door, falling 2-1 to Belgium in a wildly entertaining encounter.

As a result, the World Cup is guaranteed to be captured by a European nation. France and Belgium are slated to meet in one semi-final, while the other side of the bracket sees host Russia meet Croatia, and England battle Sweden.

CONMEBOL sides continue to struggle when the quadrennial competition is played on European soil; the Selecao remain the only South American team to win the World Cup in Europe, capturing the title in 1958 in Sweden.