Quarter-finals preview: Brazil vs. Belgium
Brazil vs. Belgium is arguably the feature match of all the quarter-finals in this World Cup. With both being the pre-tournament favourites to win the World Cup, most fans would have preferred it to be a final rather than a quarter-final. Nonetheless, it will be a match of huge quality as both the teams are two of the best teams left in this tournament. The big reputation that both the teams are getting renowned for is that they have some of the most high profile players playing for them. And there is no doubt that people will be expecting their big-name players to perform for their respective countries.
Brazil team analysis
How much of a team game does Brazil play? With the talk of Neymar always doing the rounds about how he is the main man for Brazil is a weird theory in my opinion. There is no doubt that he is the best player they have, but he also has some brilliant attacking partners. With Coutinho, Willian, Gabriel Jesus, etc., he has the support that his team needs to win any game. Miranda and Thiago Silva are also doing their job quietly in the defence conceding only one goal in a total of four games. Credit must also be given to their manager Tite for bringing their traditional attacking game after taking over the managerial reigns in 2016. He surely has a plan to stop the free scoring Belgian team. And Miranda and Thiago Silva could be his trump cards.
Belgium team analysis
The reason behind Belgium’s comeback win over Japan is because of the fact that they have different players for crucial situations in a match, which can be helpful for any team. The experience of Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku or Toby Alderweireld to name a few can come in handy during the course of the match. This squad consists of players playing in the biggest leagues in the world. Also, the current Belgium team is considered by many as the most talented generation that they has ever had. It will be tough for their manager, Roberto Martinez, to choose his best players for the starting line-up on the occasion of facing the mighty Brazil. But his trump card could be the huge amount of talented substitutes he can choose to change the course of the match.
Conclusion
It will be Neymar vs. Hazard, Coutinho vs. De Bruyne, Miranda vs. Aderweireld. The amount of talent pool that we will be witnessing is mouth-watering. As much as it is hard to predict the winner, it is also hard to predict the final score. The onus is on both teams to win the match and also go all the way to win the World Cup. While all we have to do is enjoy the spectacle!