Okay, the countries with red in their flags made it to the final four.

I'm hoping for a Croatia - Belgium final, but this has been a fantastic World Cup so far so I'll take whatever the soccer gods will give. Should be two great games.

England 1-0 Croatia
Belgium 3-2 France

England 2-1 Belgium final

Belgium 3-2
Croatia 2-1

I still have Belgium vs England final

England went back to their boring style today and they are gonna have to actually play a real team in Croatia
But everything is lined up for them

Mbop is the key to France and I think the stage will be too big for him

I'm sticking with my pre-quarters prediction of Belgium over Croatia in ET for the cup. It'll be a classic.

I know Ireland is crying

JJxvi said:

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France by a goal over Belgium.

Croatia over England by two goals

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You've got the winner of both games reversed

France over Belgium
England over Croatia

I'm still sticking with France to win it all.

Picked a Belgium v Croatia final before the start of the knockout round and I'm sticking with it. That said, I'll admit that France has looked really solid and Croatia hasn't looked the best. As mentioned above, this World Cup has brought some great games, so I'm mostly hoping it continues to deliver.

2 straight games ending in pks for croatia...fatigue will
Play aa factor
Advantage england

That and England had a casual kick around where the slowest black dude in football missed 3 to 4 goals even jozy could have scored

But yeah Croatia had a tough game

France over Belgium with the only goal of the match at the 118th minute of added time.

England over Croatia 2-0.

France - England final goes to penalties where Everton man Jordan Pickford brings England home a second star.

Belgium over France 2-1 in ET.

England 2-0 over Croatia.

Belgium 3-1 over England.

La Bamba said:

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England 3-1 over belgium

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Fify.

Belgium 3-2 over France
England 2-1 over Croatia (I would have picked Croatia if they hadn't just gone to PKs 2 games in a row)

Belgium 3-2 over England

Belgium and England

(just my Tottenham bias but it has carried me this far - got all 4 in the quarters based on who has more Spurs players or more former Spurs players France, Belgium, England and Croatia).

LondonOllie said:

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If England win the World Cup (unlikely) I will probably temporarily retire my man card and cry like a baby.

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When Geoff Hurst says that Southgate has been akin to Alf Ramsey, that is saying a lot. It looks like Southgate has done a brilliant job of getting the England team to be like a tight knit club side and that is huge. Everyone on the same page.

So LondonOllie, should England be hoisting the World Cup on Sunday, cry like a baby. And then celebrate wildly.

World Cup semifinal team rosters by Domestic League and Domestic team:


Of course this would be different if Spain, Germany, Russia or Braziletc. made it instead but still interesting.

England is the only team that is 100% from their domestic league.

No domestic team has players on all 4 WC teams but several have them on 3 teams.


English Premier League FRA:5, CRO:1, BEL:12, ENG:23 = 41 total
Tottenham Hotspur FRA:1, BEL:3, ENG:5 = 9
Chelsea FRA:2, BEL:3, ENG:2 = 7
Manchester City FRA:1, BEL:2, ENG:4 = 7
Manchester United FRA:1, BEL:2, ENG:4 = 7
Liverpool CRO:1, BEL:1, ENG:2 = 4
Leicester City ENG:2
Arsenal ENG:1
West Brom Albion BEL:1
Stoke City ENG:1
Burnley ENG:1
Everton ENG:1

La Liga (Spain) FRA:6, CRO:4, BEL:2 = 12 total
Barcelona FRA:2, CRO:1, BEL:1 = 4
Real Madrid FRA:1,CRO:2 = 3
Atletico Madrid FRA:2, CRO:1 = 3
Sevilla FRA:1
Real Sociedad BEL:1

Ligue 1 (France) FRA:9, CRO:1, BEL:2 = 12 total
Monaco FRA:2, CRO:1, BEL:1 = 4
Paris SG FRA:3, BEL:1 = 4
Marseiille FRA:3
Lyon FRA:1

Bundesliga (Germany) FRA:2, CRO:4, BEL:2 = 8 total
VfB Stuttgart FRA:1
Bayern Munich FRA:1
Gent CRO:1
1899 Hoffeneim CRO:1
Eintracht Frankfurt - CRO:1
Bayenrn Leverkusen CRO:1
VfL Wolfsburg BEL:1
Borussia Mnchengladbach BEL:1

Serie A (Italy) FRA:1, CRO:6, BEL:1 = 8 total
Juventus FRA:1, CRO:2 = 3
Internazionale CRO:2
Milan CRO:1
Florentina CRO:1
Napoli BEL:1

Priva HNL (Croatia) CRO:2 = 2 total
Dinamo Zagreb CRO:1
Rijeka CRO:1

Chinese Super League BEL:2 = 2 total
Dalian Yifang BEL:1
Tianjin Quanjian BEL:1

Ukrainian Premier League CRO:1
Dynamo Kyiv CRO:1

Belgian First Division A BEL:1
Anderlecht BEL:1

Austrian Bundesliga CRO:1
Red Bull Salzburg CRO:1

Russian Premier League CRO:1
Lokomotiv Moscow CRO:1

Super Lig (Turkey) CRO:1
Besiktas CRO:1

Scottish Premiership BEL:1
Celtic BEL:1

Excellent group of four sides. Each definitely earned their way to the QF.

Against Brazil, Belgium lost most of the battles (time of possession [2-1], # of passes [2-1], shots on goal [3-1]) but won the war (goals 2 to 1). This time they will lose all of those battles.
France over Belgium 2-1.

Croatia vs. England: Both equally strong
England wears Croatia down and wins in extra time 2-1

Final: France vs. England --- Definitely a toss-up

England 2-1 Croatia
France 3-3 Belgium (Belgium wins in PKs)

England wins the "Scrap of Paper" World Cup 2-0.

COYS

So after the weekend games, my semifinal predictions are:

Belgium 2-1 over France

England 2-1 over Croatia

The back line of Croatia was exposed against a weaker Russian side. I think Kane and Co expose them again for the victory. Belgium are just playing at a different level than France or anyone else right now. I predict they will beat England 2-0 in the final.

France 2-0 over Belgium: Kante and Pogba blunts Belgiums counter attack prowess, Giroud sets up Griezmann and Mbappe

England 1-0 over Croatia: Croatia dealing with too many injuries to overcome cohesive English team.

Belgium 4 - 2 France
England 1- 1 Croatia (4) - (3) pk's

Belgium 3 - 1 England in the final, Lukaku golden boot.

Come on Belgium!

I really wish England had a better option than Sterling up top. Or that sterling found his Man city form. All that speed and no ability to create or score after getting a great ball

I don't think Croatia is going to be as worn out as expected on this thread. They're midfield is going to dominate England's.
2-0

France-Belgium
3-1

The Shank Ag said:

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I really wish England had a better option than Sterling up top. Or that sterling found his Man city form. All that speed and no ability to create or score after getting a great ball

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I have never supported a team Sterling has played on, and yet I still find him extremely frustrating. I can only imagine if he played for a club I supported!