The World Cup knockout stage is finally ready to begin after 72 group matches trimmed the expanded 48-team field down to 32.
Pre-tournament favourites Argentina, France, Spain and England all progressed, but there was also room for a few surprise stories.
Cape Verde reached the knockout stage in their first-ever World Cup after drawing all three group matches. DR Congo also made history by reaching the last 32 for the first time, more than 50 years after their only previous appearance at the finals as Zaire.
Argentina will face Cape Verde on Friday, while DR Congo take on England on Wednesday.
African nations enjoyed one of their strongest World Cup campaigns, as nine of the continent's 10 teams reached the knockout stage.
Europe has 13 teams left in the tournament, South America has five, while Asia is represented by two. Co-hosts Mexico, the United States and Canada are the only North American sides still standing.
Uruguay were the highest-ranked team to miss out after failing to progress from the group stage.
Iran also suffered late heartbreak. Team Melli were seconds away from qualification before Austria's stoppage-time equaliser against Algeria pushed the North Africans into the final qualifying third-place spot.
Only Argentina, France and Mexico won all three of their group matches.
One of the standout last-32 matches sees the Netherlands face Morocco on Monday. The Dutch scored 10 goals during the group stage, while Morocco continued the impressive form that took them to the World Cup semi-finals four years ago.
The race for the Golden Boot is also heating up. Lionel Messi leads the standings on six goals, ahead of Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius Junior and Erling Haaland, who have all scored four.
England captain Harry Kane is among a group of 10 players on three goals.
Yemen warned the Houthis were seeking to replicate Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea, as U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "g...
Afghanistan and Uzbekistan signed 22 trade agreements worth more than $200 million during a business forum in Kabul on Sunday, as officials from both ...
U.S. diplomats walked out of a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine after accusing France of making "disingenuous grandstanding" by comparing Washin...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that there is a good chance” of reaching a deal with Iran, but warned that Washington would resume military operation if negotiations fail.
Iran will halt its own attacks as long as the United States maintains its pause on strikes, but Tehran remains sceptical of U.S. intentions, a senior Iranian source told on Sunday.
The Russia-Ukraine war is increasingly reshaping the Caspian region. From threats to energy infrastructure to renewed diplomatic efforts, countries across the region are adapting to the wider consequences of a conflict that continues to disrupt trade, transport and security.
A New York school district has put plans to introduce a humanoid robot into classrooms on hold after fierce criticism from teachers, Indigenous community members and state education officials over the use of artificial intelligence in schools.
Yemen warned the Houthis were seeking to replicate Iran's Strait of Hormuz strategy in the Red Sea, as U.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "good chance" of a deal with Tehran but warned strikes could resume if talks failed.
U.S. diplomats walked out of a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine after accusing France of making "disingenuous grandstanding" by comparing Washington with North Korea, Russia and other authoritarian states.
Meteorologists in China have used a swarm of drones to observe Typhoon Noul as it passed through Guangdong province, aiming to improve weather monitoring and forecasting during extreme storms.
Tehran has stressed that its commercial vessel hit by a Ukrainian drone in the Caspian Sea on Saturday was carrying only civilian cargo and vowed to respond appropriately while holding Kyiv responsible for the attack.
Since 1946, nine people have served as UN Secretary-General, the closest thing the world has to a chief diplomat. The role carries no army and little hard power, yet its occupants have shaped how nations respond to war, famine and global crises. Here are five who left the deepest mark.
Two shallow earthquakes hit a remote area of China's Qinghai province on Tuesday, with authorities reporting no casualties or collapsed buildings so far.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment