Ranking the World Cup Semifinalists
Just a few weeks ago, 32 teams began the journey for World Cup glory, and now, after 4 mouthwatering quarter-final matches, only 4 teams remain. A lot of good teams have been knocked out so far, and with the semi-finals kicking off soon, 2 more of arguably the best teams in the world will bid the World Cup trophy adieu.
With the World Cup final drawing ever closer, it's almost impossible to accurately predict the outcome of any of the remaining games. Many of the so-called 'favourites' are on their way home, and through all of the teams that secured a place in the semis undoubtedly deserved their victory, some have been marginally better than others on the road so far.
Based on their performances throughout the World Cup so far, here are the rankings of the 4 teams left in the World Cup.
#4: Croatia
Before the start of the World Cup, many expected Croatia to finish second in their group, behind Argentina. However, their performances were a pleasant surprise to the World, playing attacking football and winning all 3 of their group games, most notably a 3-0 victory of Argentina. They come into the quarter-finals after edging Denmark on penalties after 120 minutes of highly contested, high-quality football, before similarly edging quarter-final opponents and tournament hosts Russia in the shootout after a highly entertaining 2-2 draw over 120 minutes.
Boasting perhaps the best midfield in the World Cup at the moment, with names such as Rakitic and Modric, they have a perfectly rounded team with excellent players in every position. After starting the tournament in excellent form, it looks like they have slowed down a tad bit, but with the big players they have, the Croatians will surely be backing their team to go one better from the legendary Croatian team of 1998.