Holders Argentina survived another huge scare on Tuesday to join fellow pre-tournament favourites France , Spain and England in reaching the World Cup quarter-finals. African champions Morocco and European trio Belgium , Norway and Switzerland are the other nations still standing in the expanded 48-team tournament.
Here we take a closer look at the leading candidates to lift the trophy in New York later this month.
France
France @ 15/8
France may not have been outright favourites coming into the tournament, with Spain holding that position, but there is no doubting their credentials now after sweeping all aside so far. Les Blues , winners in 2018 and runners-up four years ago, have won all five of their matches in North America while scoring 14 times and conceding just twice heading into their quarter-final with Morocco .
Captain Kylian Mbappe looks a constant threat and has already notched seven times as he chases back-to-back Golden Boots , but he is by no means France’s only dangerman in a star-studded squad. Didier Deschamps is stepping down as coach after the tournament and it may take something special to deny the 1998 Les Bleus captain exiting as a three-time World Cup winner.
Spain
Spain @ 7/2
Spain’s tag as favourites was beginning to look misplaced after a sluggish start to their campaign, which saw them held 0-0 by debutants Cape Verde before scraping past Uruguay in the group stage. However, with star man Lamine Yamal now fit and firing, the European champions have started moving up through the gears and a 3-0 win over Austria in the last 32 was fallowed by a hard-fought, but fully deserved, 1-0 victory over Iberian rivals Portugal in the last 16.
Spain now face a third successive European opponent, with Belgium their quarter-final opponents, with the prospect of a mouth-watering semi-final clash with France on the horizon.
Argentina
Argentina @ 4/1
With Lionel Messi in red-hot form in front of a tenacious midfield and miserly defence, Argentina were looking in ominous form as they topped Group J with a 100% record. But things have been far from comfortable for the holders in the knockout stages, squeezing past Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time before somehow fighting back to beat Egypt in the last 16.
The Albiceleste trailed 2-0 with 11 minutes to go in Atlanta but goals from Cristian Romero , Messi - the 39-year-old’s eighth of the finals - and Enzo Fernandez saw them snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. They now face 33/1 World Cup outsiders Switzerland for a place in the semi-finals and, having survived two big let-offs, Lionel Scaloni’s men will be desperate to get the job done early.
England
England @ 5/1
Like several of their highly-fancied rivals, England flattered to deceive in the group stage and were 15 minutes away from being knocked out by DR Congo in the last 32 before Harry Kane’s late brace saved them. But their superb performance in beating Mexico 3-2 with 10 men in a thrilling last-16 tie at the Azteca Stadium has reignited expectations surrounding Thomas Tuchel’s men.
England meet Brazil’s conquerors Norway in the quarter-finals but if they can keep Erling Haaland quiet then the Three Lions will fancy their chances of going through. Whether they could then also keep the likes of Messi , Mbappe or Yamal quiet as they chase a first World Cup title since 1966 remains to be seen.
Other Contenders
Other Contenders
Norway @ 14/1: The Vikings are in the quarter-finals for the first time and have Manchester City striker Erling Haaland , with seven goals, in Golden Boot contention.
Morocco @ 28/1: Dark horses at the start of the tournament, the Atlas Lions are o ne win from equalling their historic semi-final run in 2022.
Belgium @ 33/1: Have reached at least the quarter-finals in three of their past four World Cups , with third place in 2018 their best achievement.
Switzerland @ 33/1: Rossocrociati are through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time since 1954 but have holders Argentina next.
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