We’ve got a second to breathe, everyone. For the first time since the tournament kicked off, there are no World Cup matches today. While I’d love to have a game to tune into, I must admit, the break is a welcome reprieve for my sanity. But just because I’m not watching soccer doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about soccer.

I already shared my thoughts on the knockouts to this point, and I couldn’t stop there. My mind is taking it upon itself to squeeze every ounce of soccer out now so I can fit more in before the action resumes tomorrow, and you’re lucky enough to get to read it all. Up next: previews and predictions for the Quarter-Finals. Now that I’ve moved on to a more forward-looking article, I’ll spare you the flashbacks to World Cups gone by — probably.

France vs. Morocco

What an intriguing matchup to kick things off. On one hand you’ve got France, my new favorite to win it all. Kylian Mbappe still looks like the best player in the world, and with more Ballon d’Or-level talent surrounding him in Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise, it feels like they’re too good to fail. On the other hand, Morocco, the last remaining African side for the second consecutive World Cup and a nation looking to firmly establish themselves as a serious contender on the biggest stage. 

Is this game really happening? Someone pinch me; the scriptwriters outdid themselves with this one. 

France have looked like the real deal all tournament long, with their toughest test coming against the dark arts employed by Paraguay in the Round of 16. Still, they never looked like they’d actually lose that match, and their main man stepped up yet again. They scored at least three goals in each of their Group Stage games, then again in the Round of 32 against Sweden. Mbappe is behind just Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot, boasting seven goals as he continues his World Cup dominance. It’s all clicking, and it has been from the start. 

Morocco, meanwhile, has been tested at this tournament. They’ve drawn twice, first in the Group Stage against Brazil and second in the Round of 32 against the Netherlands, but they’ve looked the better side in both stalemates. They’ve scored in every match, with six different goal scorers contributing to their team total of 10 goals, and handled Canada with relative ease. A challenging Group Stage appears to have helped them focus and prepare for the knockouts, and they’ll be coming into this one with plenty of confidence. 

With all that in mind, it’s hard to see either of these teams bowing out at this stage of the tournament — but one has to. I can’t look away from France, though; they’re simply too good. I’m backing Les Bleus despite my own personal leanings. Give me 3-1, France.

Spain vs. Belgium

It should’ve been the U.S. … but it’s not! Belgium looks to be a team revitalized after a dominant win over an error-prone USMNT side, and the Spaniards look ready and able to subject any team to their patented death-by-a-thousand-passes routine. For the Belgians, this is a chance to send off some legends on a high. For the Spanish, it’s a chance to get on the same page as their women’s team and reclaim the top spot in the world. I suppose it could be a huge moment for that Lamine Yamal fellow as well, but this is a team sport, folks. 

While I’m not as excited to watch this matchup as I am the first, the passing nerd in me can’t resist the pull of Spanish soccer. At its best, it’s like a totally different sport: minimal long balls, no brute strength, just a delightful mix of technical excellence and intelligent reading of the game. It doesn’t always produce the most exciting matches, but when it does, it’s absolutely glorious. 

Despite their well-defined style of play, the Spanish are remarkably hard to break down. They’ve still managed to go without conceding a single goal at this summer’s tournament, and I don’t see that changing against a Belgium side that hasn’t really looked all that impressive. I don’t know if it’ll make me feel better as a USMNT fan to see the side that knocked them out get eliminated, but I certainly won’t be complaining. Spain advances via a semi-boring 2-0 win.

Norway vs. England

Earling Haaland — he’s inevitable. Give the man three touches in a 90-minute span, he’ll score two goals. Zlatan’s been saying it all tournament long: A good game for this man isn’t about getting involved in the buildup or making tackles. It’s goals he wants, and it’s goals he gets. It feels like a foregone conclusion that he’ll score against this England side. The only question that remains is whether or not the English will manage to outscore him. 

Thomas Tuchel’s boys have relied on Jude Bellingham’s box-to-box dominance and Harry Kane’s golden touch thus far, often opting for pragmatism over flair. This style suits the squad that their manager selected, and he’s used the players at his disposal near perfectly — aside from some winger decisions I would have reversed. Key defensive subs against Mexico put the game to bed after some real chaos, with Dan Burn defending the 18 with his life in the closing minutes. They feel capable of beating anyone at this tournament with a few key changes, but are far from invulnerable themselves. 

The Norwegians present the most interesting variable remaining in this year’s tournament. I don’t think many people expected them to get this far, but now that they’re here, I don’t think many people would be surprised if they stuck around a bit longer. Their strength is very obviously in their attacking quality, enabling them to outperform their expected goals more often than any other team in the world. I fear this may be too big a hurdle, though, and I’m backing the Three Lions to win a barn-burner, 4-2.

Switzerland vs. Argentina

At last, we arrive at the defending champs. Lionel Messi and the boys have been … cutting it close this tournament after ending up on what most people assumed would be the easiest side of the bracket to get out of. An extra-time winner against a stubborn Cape Verde side saw La Albiceleste squeak by in the Round of 32, and a breathtaking comeback against Egypt gave me heart palpitations in the Round of 16. It’s been anything but pretty, but they’ve gotten the job done.

For Switzerland, the narrative is somewhat similar to Norway — minus the giant goal machine up top — in that few expected them to get this far. The Swiss got out of one of the tournament’s weaker groups, took down a less-than-impressive Algeria side, and outlasted Colombia to earn a shootout win in the Round of 16. This feels like an over-achievement for this squad, and it’s hard for me to imagine their ceiling being much higher, despite Argentina’s own struggles. 

Some may look at Argentina’s close calls and say they’re cracking. I, however, feel like these close matches and tests of character will only bring this already very tight squad even closer together, and with the greatest player of all time leading the way, I’m confident they’ll make their way into the semis on pure willpower. It may not be pretty, but it’s going to be fun to watch. We’ll stick with the trend and go 3-2, Argentina. 

So, we’re looking at England vs. Argentina and France vs. Spain. All of those upsets I predicted early on? Yeah, those will have to wait another four years. Tune in from Thursday, July 9, to Saturday, July 11, to see how the quarters shake out, and don’t be surprised when I go four for four.