The Round of 16 is set after one of the most thrilling group stages in recent memory provided a slew of fantastic moments that still have us buzzing.
But it’s time to get down to business. While some teams will harbor more legitimate hopes of lifting the World Cup than others, simply getting to this point is enough to make every nation think about what it would be like to be the last one standing come July 13.
Before they get there, though, each side has some questions that need to be answered.
Here’s one thing we know, and one thing we don’t about each team heading into the knockout stages.
Brazil
What We Know
Neymar’s star is shining just as brightly as we all expected (hoped?) it would. Tied for the tournament lead with 4 goals, this is his team. Despite his slender frame, he looks more than capable of carrying the weight of expectation on his back.
What We Don’t
There are more questions than answers surrounding the pre-tournament favorite. Can Fred make a fool of Alan Shearer and lead the line in attack? Is Hulk any good? Is Paulinho about to lose his place to Fernandinho in the center of the midfield? Without affirmative answers to those questions, the hosts could be in big trouble moving forward.
Chile
What We Know
With Alexis Sanchez as the focal point, the Chilean counter attack is one of the most deadly in the tournament. Lacking a bonafide star striker, the team can find goals from a multitude of sources, with all five of their tallies in the group stage coming from different players.
What We Don’t
Is Arturo Vidal healthy? Arguably the best box-to-box midfielder in the world, the 27-year-old was held out of the team’s 2-0 loss to the Netherlands as a precaution following his pre-tournament knee surgery. He has performed admirably so far, but is understandably lacking that extra burst of energy that defines his game and makes him so great. Brazil have looked somewhat suspect in midfield so far, and Vidal could be the tipping point for La Roja to pull off the upset.
Colombia
What We Know
Led by James Rodriguez, Colombia is doing just fine without Radamel Falcao. The Monaco midfielder was the star of the group stage, with three dazzling performances that made many forget all about the absence of his clubmate. With Juan Cuadrado, Teofilo Gutierrez and Jackson Martinez along for the ride, goalscoring will not be an issue.
What We Don’t
Mario Yepes was very good in the group stage, particularly in the opening match against Greece where he made a number of tackles that seemed to laugh in the face of Father Time. But with all due respect to Georgios Samaras, 36-year-old Didier Drogba and Yoshito Okubo, his competition in the group stage left plenty to be desired. Can Yepes, along with Cristian Zapata, contain the world class strikers that they are sure to come across as the tournament continues?
Uruguay
What We Know
It’s Edinson Cavani, or bust. Shamed cannibal Luis Suarez isn’t coming to the rescue like he did against England anytime soon, so the Paris Saint-Germain striker will have to drag this team into the quarterfinals almost single-handedly.
What We Don’t
Will the real Uruguay please stand up. What is this team, exactly? Is it the one that looked slow, old and overwhelmed by the pace and movement of Costa Rica, or is it the one that defeated England and was so well-organized in defense against Italy?
Netherlands
What We Know
Goals come easy. With Robin (van Persie) and (Arjen) Robben firing on all cylinders, the Oranje have two of the most devastating forwards in the tournament, and should be able to find the net against even the stingiest of teams. Memphis Depay is turning into something of a substitute extraordinaire, while Daley Blind can drop the ball on a dime with that marvelous left foot.
What We Don’t
Call me crazy, but I just can’t bring myself to trust Ron Vlaar as the anchor of a defense. Perhaps it won’t matter because the Dutch are, as their nickname suggests, flying up front. Maybe they can overcome any concerns at the back by outscoring their opponents. This tournament certainly suggests the importance of an impenetrable back-line is in steep decline.
Mexico
What We Know
Guillermo Ochoa is in the form of his life, this team functions better with Javier Hernandez on the bench, and Miguel Herrera is the most likeable manager in the tournament. The turmoil that plagued El Tri during qualifying is a thing of the (distant) past.
What We Don’t
Will they be able to impose themselves against one of the better teams in the tournament? It was great to see the CONCACAF nation steal a point from Brazil, but that’s all it was: a theft. Without at least three miraculous saves from Ochoa, Mexico lose that match, and it’s not even close. Oribe Peralta needs service to thrive. Will he get any against Holland?
Costa Rica
What We Know
They value defense. Los Ticos conceded just one goal in the group stage, and it was a first-half penalty in their opening match. Uruguay, Italy and England were all unable to break them down from open play, not only failing to score, but rarely crafting threatening chances. On the rare occasion that they did, goalkeeper Keylor Navas showed why many people rated him so highly coming into the tournament.
What We Don’t
Is there enough support for Joel Campbell up front? His quality has been on full display in Brazil, but should Greece shut him down, can Bryan Ruiz and Christian Bolaños step up and assume the attacking duties?
Greece
What We Know
Zeus continues to look down favorably on them. The Greeks became the first team in World Cup history to advance out of the group stage with a minus-2 goal differential, using a last-gasp penalty in their final match against the Ivory Coast to book qualification for the Round of 16. After getting Romania in the UEFA play-off to qualify for Brazil, then being placed in one of the most open groups of the tournament, they will now feel very confident of reaching the quarterfinal when they take on Costa Rica.
What We Don’t
Do they have enough in attack to break down a sturdy defense. Unheralded they may be, Costa Rica allowed just one goal in the group stage (a penalty), while Greece scored just twice - one goal being the aforementioned penalty. Georgios Samaras can’t do it all by himself, can he?
France
What We Know
Didier Deschamps has found the right mix. All of the talk coming into the tournament surrounded the harmony of the squad without Samir Nasri, and how the attack would function without star winger Franck Ribery. It’s doing just fine. With Karim Benzema as the focal point, Les Bleus scored eight goals in two matches before settling for a (somewhat inconsequential) goalless draw with Ecuador.
What We Don’t
There are still some personnel questions that need to be answered heading into the next round, mainly down the middle. Is it Raphael Varane or Laurent Koscielny that will be selected to partner Mamadou Sakho when the matches really matter? Does Paul Pogba retain his place in the starting lineup after Deschamps had some concerns over his temperament following the opening match against Honduras?
Nigeria
What We Know
A couple of things, actually. For starters, Vincent Enyeama is one of the premier shot-stoppers in the competition. He’s also one of the coolest players, too. Up front, there is speed to burn. Emmanuel Emenike is a tank powered by a Ferrari engine, while Ahmed Musa is putting himself in line for a big transfer coming out of the tournament.
What We Don’t
We saw what Argentina was able to accomplish against a team that went into that match without having conceded a goal. If not for the 10 saves (!) of Enyeama, it could have been ugly. Now they get a French side that, aside from Holland, has been the most impressive attacking team of the tournament, scoring 8 goals in the group stage. Are they good enough at the back to hang with the big boys?
Germany
What We Know
The concerns over the squad’s lack of a traditional striker were grossly overblown. Their spectacular midfield more than makes up for not having a prototypical No. 9 in the starting lineup, as does the presence of Thomas Muller, who is defying logic with his World Cup scoring rate. Klose may indeed break Ronaldo’s record, but with Muller around, he may not get to enjoy his spot atop the perch for very long.
What We Don’t
Whether a team that opts to start without any natural fullbacks will be able to cope with an attack that boasts quality wingers. That question should have been answered against Portugal, but two early goals and a red card - along with a Cristiano Ronaldo who was clearly unfit - robbed us of that. Are Jerome Boateng and Benedikt Howedes the answer?
Algeria
What We Know
We all underestimated the Fennec Foxes coming into the tournament. Yes, even you. Don’t lie. They were expected to be a solid team, sure, but ultimately they weren’t going to have enough to in attack to make any serious noise in Brazil. Have they ever made some noise, and not just in Algiers. Islam Slimani and Sofiane Feghouli are the real deal.
What We Don’t
Can Djamel Mesbah keep it going? The left-back (once discarded by a Milan side so desperate for quality fullbacks that they would sign you if you showed some competence in defense) has been a force for the North African side so far. His attacking instincts were on full display against South Korea when he was one of the key outlets going forward, and he was solid at the back against Russia. Will the Germans prove too stern a test?
Argentina
What We Know
Lionel Messi is exactly who we (being sane people) thought he was: the best player in the world. Three games, four goals and the constant threat of being able to conjure up one moment of magic to win any match. Poor, poor Iran.
What We Don’t
That defense, man. Iran were hailed for their ability to stymie the Argentine attack in their match, but don’t forget that they came agonizingly close to finding the net themselves, foiled on two occasions by fantastic saves from Sergio Romero. Nigeria, meanwhile, were a constant threat in their Group F finale. Ahmed Musa’s second goal was a clinic in terrible defending. Moses himself would have appreciated the way the Albiceleste defense parted ways down the middle to allow the speedy forward through on goal.
Switzerland
What We Know
Nothing, really. They were supposed to be one of the best defensive teams in the competition, but conceded five goals in one match to France, and it could have been a whole lot worse. Was that an outlier? Perhaps, but the competition doesn’t get any easier with Lionel Messi and company now standing in the way.
Up front, Xherdan Shaqiri was brilliant against Honduras, scoring a hat-trick. He was woeful in the opening two matches of the group stage. The Swiss, neutral as always.
What We Don’t
See above.
Belgium
What We Know
This team can win matches when they don’t play their best. A quality typically attributed to veteran, experienced groups, the young Red Devils have shown that they don’t need to blow out their opposition in order to win. They will be plenty comfortable grinding out results and winning matches while lazy pundits continue to wonder aloud why they aren’t scoring more goals.
What We Don’t
What is going on with Romelu Lukaku? He was supposed to be one of the stars of the tournament, but has struggled mightily to make any influence so far, let alone find the net. The hulking forward came into the competition after suffering an ankle injury in the final pre-tournament friendly, and that seems to have derailed him in a big way. Teenage counterpart Divock Origi, meanwhile, has been one of the pleasant surprises so far. Controversy brewing?
United States
What We Know
This team can win without Jozy Altidore. Some may argue they are better without the burly striker in the lineup. I’m not willing to go that far, but there is no doubt they can get the job done with captain Clint Dempsey alone up front.
What We Don’t
Why is Michael Bradley struggling so much? Expected to be the catalyst of the squad, the midfielder has arguably been third-best at his position behind Kyle Beckerman and Jermaine Jones. We all expected the latter to be exposed in Brazil, but it’s been the Toronto FC star that has come under fire so far. Can he turn things around?
