The World Cup quarterfinalists are all set! Europe dominates with six spots, Argentina is allegedly favored, and three undeniable facts have emerged.

08/07/2026 14:35:24 soccer

On July 8 Beijing time, the Round of 16 of the World Cup concluded. In the final two matches, Argentina staged a dramatic comeback, edging Egypt 3-2 to reach the quarterfinals, while Switzerland defeated Colombia 4-3 on penalties to send them home. Thus, Argentina and Switzerland advanced. With this, all eight quarterfinalists are confirmed, and Europe became the big winner with six spots. These two matches were broadcast live on Migu Video, with thrilling moments unfolding one after another. Additionally, the Migu man-machine battle show aired at 9 PM daily. Before the matches, commentators Su Dong, Liu Jianhong, Yan Qiang, Liu Yuxi, and Yan Hexiang made predictions for the Argentina vs. Egypt game. Although they all thought Argentina would win by a small margin, unfortunately they didn't get the score right!

Argentina vs. Egypt. As defending champions, Argentina had the lethal weapon Messi, so they were considered favorites. This tournament, Argentina had a very favorable draw, but they didn't seem to show dominance. Though they finished first in their group, they nearly stumbled against debutant Cape Verde in the previous round, barely winning 3-2 after extra time to reach the Round of 16. Now facing another African team, Egypt, in back-to-back matches, the public widely expected Argentina to win. However, the victory was far from easy. From the start, Argentina wasted numerous chances, missing shots, and Messi even missed a penalty. In contrast, Egypt's counterattacks were sharp, creating threats and easily penetrating Argentina's defense. Although their second goal was disallowed, Egypt still took a two-goal lead, pushing Argentina to the brink. But a turning point came in the second half when Egypt's dangerous player Hassan left the field due to injury. Argentina then made a key substitution, bringing on Lautaro and moving Messi to the center. The effect was immediate: Argentina found space, switched to goal-scoring mode, and scored three goals in 14 minutes. Messi had a goal and an assist, and Enzo scored the winner in stoppage time, giving Argentina a 3-2 escape to the quarterfinals. However, the referee's decisions were heavily questioned, and Argentina's win was considered dubious, with accusations of being favored by FIFA.

Switzerland vs. Colombia. Two teams of similar strength competed for a quarterfinal spot. Both sides struggled to score—Switzerland's attack was weak but their defense was top-notch. Despite Colombia's constant threats, they couldn't breach the Swiss goal. Time ticked away, and both regular time and extra time ended 0-0. The match went straight to penalties, where Switzerland's quality was higher, defeating Colombia 4-3 to claim the last quarterfinal ticket and board the final train.

Thus, all eight quarterfinalists are confirmed. Europe had a massive explosion, grabbing six spots: France, England, Norway, Belgium, and Spain. The remaining two slots were taken by South America's Argentina and African team Morocco.

Looking at the quarterfinal lineup, three undeniable facts emerge. First, it's surprising how strong European teams are—six of them made it to the quarterfinals, proving that Europe remains the absolute center of world football. Second, Asia's allocation of spots is too many; not a single Asian team reached the quarterfinals, not even the Round of 16. Asia should have 4.5 spots, not 8.5. Third, the four teams—France, England, Spain, and Argentina—all advanced after tough battles, and they are indeed title contenders. However, Argentina is in an awkward position, frequently being accused of being favored.