FIFA World Cup 2018 Knock Out Stages

France

Argentina

France 4 Argentina 3

Kazan Arena, Kazan
30 June

On a day that two world class players bowed out of the World Cup, a new superstar announced his arrival. A brilliant performance by 19 year-old Kylian Mbappé gave victory to France in a thrilling game. Griezmann put France ahead with a penalty (13') but Argentina went in front with two goals either side of half-time. France surged back with three goals in 11 minutes, two of them from Mbappé, to give France what seemed to be an unassailable lead. Sergio Agüero got a late consolation goal in injury time but the players then wasted precious minutes arguing with the referee (as they had done for most of the game) instead of pursuing a fourth goal.

Uruguay

Portugal

Uruguay 2 Portugal 1

Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi
30 June

Two superb goals from Edinson Cavani and a strong defence were enough to see Urguay through and eliminate the European champions, Cristiano Ronaldo and all. Pepe's goal, which levelled the scores in the 55th minute, was the first that Uruguay had conceded in the tournament.

Spain

Russia

Spain 1 Russia 1 (Extra time played. Russia won 4-3 on penalties.)

Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
1 July

Spain took an early lead thanks to a bizarre own goal. Ignashevich was more concerned with pushing his opponent to the ground than meeting a cross and the ball bounced off his heel and into the net. Russia defended doggedly while Spain passed the ball to each other with no sense of urgency or offering any real threat to their opponent's goal. Russia's reward came four minutes from half-time when Dzyuba scored from a penalty. The pattern of play continued and it was not until the final period of extra-time that the Spanish woke up to their danger but it was too late. In the penalty shoot out Russia held their nerve and two superb saves by their goalkeeper, Akinfeev, gave them an unlikely vicory.

Croatia

Denmark

Croatia 1 Denmark 1 (Extra time played. Croatia won 3-2 on penalties.)

Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod
1 July

The match had a dramatic start and even more dramatic finale but was otherwise dull fare. Jorgensson put Denmark ahead in the first minute, poking the ball home after a scramble in the goalmouth. Three minutes later a clearance in the Danish penalty area struck a defender and fell kindly for Mandzukic who scored from close range. Mudric had a penalty saved in the last minutes of extra-time. No fewer than five kicks were saved in the shootout and the score was 2-2 when Rakitic slotted home the decisive penalty.

Brazil

Mexico

Brazil 2 Mexico 0

Cosmos Arena, Samara
2 July

Mexico put up a very spirited performance and dominated the first part of the match but gradually Brazil established control over the match. Neymar was involved in both goals, creating and finishing the first (51') and providing the assist for Firmino's clincher two minutes from time. Neymar's performance will, however, be remembered as much for his ludicrous play-acting as his skill.

Belgium

Japan

Belgium 3 Japan 2

Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don
2 July

Belgium made a remarkable recovery, coming from two goals down to snatch the winner in the fifth minute of injury time. Japan played intelligent, incisive and aggressive football deserved to be two goals up after 52 minutes. Belgium's recovery began with an extraordinary high looping header from Vertonghen that dropped practically vertically into the goal (69'). Fellaini equalised and with 31 seconds to go a Japanese attack broke down in the opposition penalty area: the Belgians swept up the pitch with three passes the last of which found Chadli unmarked in front of goal.

Sweden

Switzerland

Sweden 1 Switzerland 0

Krestovsky Stadium, St Petersburg
3 July

Poor finishing by both teams was the feature of this match in which there were thirty attempts on goal but only seven on target. The decisive goal was scored by Forsberg thanks to a vicious deflection off a defender that left the goalkeeper stranded.

Colombia

England

Colombia 1 England 1 (Extra time played. England won 4-3 on penalties.)

Otkrytiye Arena, Moscow
3 July

For the first hour Colombia were intent on disrupting England through rough play, niggling fouls and arguing with the referee and they paid the inevitable price when Kane was wrestled to the ground in front of goal and converted the penalty (57'). Colombia now began to show their quality and in the final seconds, Pickford brilliantly deflected a blistering drive from Uribe before Mina equalised from the resulting corner. England dominated extra time but could not score so the match went to penalties. In a nerve shredding finale, England were one down after six kicks. Uribe hit the bar and Trippier scored to make the scores level. Pickford then saved brilliantly from Bacca and Dier held his nerve to score the winner.

Uruguay

France

Uruguay 0 France 2

Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod
6 July

France played efficient, unspectacular football to comfortably contain the Uruguayan team. Their first goal came five minutes before half-time, a fine glancing header by Varane. Uruguay could have expected to mount a comeback in the second half but the wind was taken out of their sails on the hour when their goalkeeper, Muslera misread an innocuous shot from Griezmann. He flapped at the ball which bounced out of his hands, over his head and into goal. France never looked like conceding after that despite Uruguay, roared on by their huge travelling support, throwing everyone forward in the closing stages.

Brazil

Belgium

Brazil 1 Belgium 2

Kazan Arena, Kazan
6 July

Belgium turned on the style with a brilliant performance that took them into the semi-final for the first time since 1986 at the expense of the five-times world champions. Both teams had chances in an open and often thrilling game. Brazil had struck the post from close range early on but it was Belgium who scored first, Fernandinho turning a corner into his own goal (13'). With half an hour played, Lukaku stormed up the middle like a train before laying the ball off to De Bruyne who scored with a beautifully placed drive from the edge of the area. Brazil's hopes rose when Augusto headed home with 14 minutes left. Brazil mustered 27 shots on goal in the match but Courtois was brilliant in the Belgian goal particularly at the end when a fingertip save denied Neymar in the third minute of injury time.

Sweden

England

Sweden 0 England 2

Cosmos Arena, Samara
7 July

England overcame a stubborn Swedish team with goals from Maguire and Delli Alli on either side of half-time. Pickford was superb in goal, denying the Swedes on several occasions and in the end England won comfortably.

Russia

Croatia

Russia 2 Croatia 2 (Extra time played. Croatia won 4-3 on penalties)

Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi
7 July

Russia's extraordinary run came to an end in heart-breaking fashion. They took the lead when Cheryshev curled the ball from distance into the net (31') but were pegged back eight minutes later by Kramaric's header. Croatia dominated the second half and should have scored after the break but Perisic's low shot struck the post and bounced across the face of the goal. In extra time Vida put Croatia ahead again with another headed goal but the Russians, spurred on by an enormous, passionate crowd dug deep and equalised with five minutes left (Fernandes 115'). Fortune deserted the Russians in the penalty shoot-out and after they had missed with two kicks, Rakitic held his nerve to score the decisive penalty. Their supported stayed behind to cheer the Russian team.

France

Belgium

France 1 Belgium 0

Krestovsky Stadium, St Petersburg
10 July

The match was closely contested, absorbing rather than exciting and Belgium looked marginally the better side in the first half. Once Umtiti had powerfully headed Griezmann's corner home to give France the lead, however, they rarely looked like losing it. Their defence was very disciplined and while the team looked functional, Mbappe was always on hand to threaten with some inspired trickery.

Croatia

England

Croatia 2 England 1 (Extra time played)

Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
11 July

Inexperience and an inability to fully exploit the advantage when they had it proved to be England's downfall. After Trippier put them ahead with a superb curling free-kick (5') England made Croatia look very ordinary but they were not able to add to the score. In the second half Croatia's experience began to show as England lost momentum and it came as no surprise when Perisic equalised with 12 minutes of normal time left. In extra-time Croatia pressed, Perisic hitting the post and Pickford saving brilliantly from Mandzukic. With eleven minutes to go, England's defenders were slow to react allowing Mandzukic to pounce on the ball in the area and slot it past Pickford.

Belgium

England

Belgium 2 England 0

Krestovsky Stadium, St Petersburg
14 July

Belgium showed their quality by defeating England for the second time in the tournament and finishing in third place. Belgium's goals came in the fourth and 82nd minutes and although England had good chances they often struggled to cope with the variety of Belgium's attacking play.

France

Croatia

France 4 Croatia 2

Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
15 July

A thrilling final was a fitting climax to an excellent tournament with France winning their second World Cup. Their coach, Didier Deschamps was captain of the side that had won their first trophy exactly twenty years before. France led at 2-1 half-time thanks to an own goal (Perisic 18') and a controversial penalty awarded after a VAR review. Croatia stood toe to toe with the French for an hour and would have felt justifiably aggrieved had they lost to those goals but then France scored twice in six minutes. Mandzukic then made it 4-2 after an extraordinary lapse by Lloris in the French goal. After the final whistle there was a 20 minute wait before the presentation got underway at which point the storm that had been threatening all match finally broke, soaking everyone concerned except Vladimir Putin, who had a man holding an umbrella over his head throughout.

Historical Football Kits

Round of 16

France 4 Argentina 3

Uruguay 2 Portugal 1

Spain 1 Russia 1 (Extra time played. Russia won 4-3 on penalties.)

Croatia 1 Denmark 1 (Extra time played. Croatia won 3-2 on penalties.)

Brazil 2 Mexico 0

Belgium 3 Japan 2

Sweden 1 Switzerland 0

Colombia 1 England 1 (Extra time played. England won 4-3 on penalties.)

Quarter-Finals

Uruguay 0 France 2

Brazil 1 Belgium 2

Sweden 0 England 2

Russia 2 Croatia 2 (Extra time played. Croatia won 4-3 on penalties)

Semi-Finals

France 1 Belgium 0

Croatia 2 England 1 (Extra time played)

Third Place Match

Belgium 2 England 0

Final

France 4 Croatia 2