Argentina, led by superstar Lionel Messi, came into the World Cup as one of the favourites but they face a big roadblock in the semi-final on Tuesday with 2018 runners-up Croatia, who proved too much for the other title contenders, Brazil.

Neymar departed in tears. The Brazil No 10 cried inconsolably, only to be lifted off the pitch as the pre-tournament favourites were knocked out on penalties by Croatia in the quarterfinals at the Education City Stadium on Friday night.

Lionel Messi wasn’t available at the pre-match press conference for Argentina’s World Cup semifinal against Croatia on Monday. He wasn’t, in fact, expected to be; the PSG talisman hardly ever attends a press conference.

There is alliterative appeal in talking about Messi, Mbappe, Modric, and Morocco, and each of the four does present a strong story for the semi-finals. I do, however, want to take some time to talk about a certain Didier Deschamps. This is a man who has won both the World Cup and the Euros as captain, and the Nations League and the World Cup as manager.

The health of Brazilian soccer great Pele was improving but there was still no forecast for when he could be discharged from hospital after being admitted there late last month, according to a medical report released on Monday.

New Spain coach Luis de la Fuente defended his appointment after criticism he lacked experience at the top level, during his presentation on Monday.

Croatia and Morocco are the surprise guests in the World Cup's final four but, as the Croatians discovered in 2018 and many other long-shot semi-finalists have before them, the two remaining steps to become world champions can be the steepest.

The FIFA World Cup is undoubtedly one of the biggest sporting events in history and is currently the talk of the town. With so much glory surrounding this magnificent tournament, the iconic trophy that is football’s biggest mark of honour has a host of interesting stories captivated within it — most of which you probably never heard of.

In a matter of three days, five-time champions Brazil got to see both sides of the coin as they came into their quarter-final clash against Croatia on the back of a 4-1 mauling of South Korea but then had to taste a bitter defeat against the 2018 runners-up that put an end to their mission Hexa.

Football, as we know it, is quite possibly one of the most intense sports out there. The rivalry between athletes and the immense pressure of winning means that sportsmanship often takes a backseat while gamesmanship is all that matters. Despite the fierce competition, however, we have witnessed some truly amazing moments of generosity in football history. Here are some of the times when kind-hearted acts by the players left us in awe.

There have been five red cards at the Fifa World Cup 2022 in Qatar so far. The first sending-off came for Wales when they played Iran in their Group B clash. Wayne Hennessey was shown a red card for clobbering Mehdi Taremi in the last 10 minutes of their second game.

Every match has its moments. The rhythmic chants and enthusiasm bring the stadium to life and supporters play a big role in giving their team that extra push. Football being a worldwide sensation, it is no surprise that at times fans go above and beyond when necessary or use the field to make themselves heard. Sometimes, fans can be a little extra themselves and become the centre of attention.

African teams have claimed several giant-killing results at World Cups but nothing like the unprecedented run of Morocco in Qatar that will fuel hopes of more representation at future tournaments.

India batter Virat Kohli backed his inspiration Cristiano Ronaldo as he backed his role model after Portugal crashed out of the World Cup quarter-final against Morocco on Saturday.

Legendary German footballer and a member of FIFA’s Technical Study Group (TSG), Jurgen Klinsmann, opined that Brazil made a mistake by not sending their best penalty takers in their quarterfinal defeat against Croatia. 

Real Madrid stalwart Luka Modric after yet another fine performance against Brazil in the quarter-final of FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar revealed that he sees glimpses of his club mentality in the Croatian side.

Croatia striker Bruno Petkovic says the team's mental strength that has propelled them to two penalty shoot-out wins at the World Cup has deep roots in the country's struggle for independence.

Cristiano Ronaldo running to the tunnel in tears and as desolate as the football world has ever seen him will be the lasting image for Portugal fans looking back on the World Cup in Qatar. Ronaldo, a five-times Ballon D’Or winner, arrived with a mission to prove he could still make a difference.

Gareth Southgate said he would take his time before he makes a decision over his future as England coach after the bitter disappointment of their World Cup quarter-final defeat against France.

In his fourth year as Argentina coach, Lionel Scaloni has transformed his side as hot-favourites leading up to the ongoing World Cup. But those aspirations soon took a hit with a shock loss to Saudi Arabia in their opening group-stage fixture, ending Albiceleste’s 36-match unbeaten run.