Spain: As boring as they come
In this edition of his World Cup analysis, Andrew Hallett slams Spain, praises a French star, says goodbye to some big names, and backs Uruguay to go all the way.
Over 1,000 passes and Spain are going home.
Oh, Spain. You have an incredibly talented group, but you are incredibly boring to watch. Yes, Russia defended like their lives depended on it, but Spain did absolutely nothing with the ball. This proves that you can have all the talent in the world, but if you run out of ideas and your players are too scared to take the game by the scruff of the neck, then you can still be eliminated by a side ranked 70th in the world.
It was an extremely frustrating showing from Spain and Russia thoroughly deserved to go through on penalties. They fought for their chance at the lottery that is penalties and they took it. While neutrals would have preferred Spain to go through given their talent, having the hosts a step closer to the final is always a good thing for a World Cup - you don't want the fans losing interest in the home country.
The big boys are falling like flies
Along with Spain, Portugal and Argentina also bit the dust over the weekend in the Round of 16. What is most interesting now is that one of England, Colombia, Russia, Croatia, Switzerland or Sweden will be in the final in just over a week. Those are not names synonymous with World Cup finals, with just one World Cup triumph between them. I like seeing new sides go all the way, as it shows the big boys have taken the tournament for granted, but do we really want to see a World Cup final of Switzerland against Japan? It could happen...
Let's talk about Kylian Mbappe...
For those who follow football throughout the year, Mbappe's performance against Argentina will come as no surprise - he has serious talent. However, for those who are not too clued up on the game, the French star's performance will see his stock rise even further in the eyes of the world's viewers.
He was simply outstanding, with his ability to run at pace with the ball at his feet mesmerising those looking on. Mbappe is also only 19, so we will be seeing much more of him over the coming World Cups. A true star is born on the world stage.
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Uruguay could muscle their way to the title
When you look at Uruguay on paper, they have some standout names, but they don't come across as a team to scare anyone. However, it is their ability to defend as a unit and attack as one which makes them extremely dangerous. Diego Godin is arguably the best defender in world football, and his leadership from the back brings his side together, forming an almost impenetrable wall. Then you have the dynamic duo of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, who proved against Portugal that they can hurt any side in the blink of an eye. This strong unit could well go all the way in the tournament. Watch out, France.