It has been 13 days since football's biggest showpiece FIFA World Cup 2022 got underway, few teams have already been eliminated including bigwigs like Belgium & Germany along with the hosts Qatar while others have stormed into the Round of 16 or are calculating the possibility to qualify for the knockout matches.
16 teams have punched their tickets for the showdown in the knockout where each match will be contested fiercely as the best teams from their groups lock horns.
France started the proceedings as the first team to qualify. Brazil and Portugal soon followed suit, Netherlands confirmed its place in the pre-quarterfinals after trouncing hosts Qatar in a 2-0 win. Senegal will also join the ranks of the heavyweights after securing a berth by beating Ecuador 2-1 in the final 16 round, Gareth Southgate's Three Lions, England, have also qualified for the World Cup knockout stages after beating Wales 3-0. The USA defeating Iran 1-0 in their Group B fixture of the FIFA World Cup 2022 meant that they have also secured a spot for the Round of 16. The freshers in the list are Japan, who stunned Spain to make their way to the Last 16. However, Spain also advanced despite the jolt on Thursday (December 2).
Here is a list of teams with a confirmed spot in the Round of 16 -
Group A - Netherlands and Senegal
The Netherlands qualified for the Round of 16 as the group winners after defeating Senegal by 2-0, drawing 1-1 against Ecuador, and winning 2-0 against Qatar in their final group match. The Dutch side amassed a total of seven points. On the other hand, Senegal finished second in the table with two wins against Ecuador (2-1) and Qatar (3-1), which took their points tally to six.
Group B - England and USA
England finished as Group B winners with a 6-2 win over Iran, a goalless draw against the USA, and a 3-0 win over Wales. The English side also earned seven points, ahead of the USA who finished second with five points. The USA won their final group game by 1-0 against Iran after drawing 1-1 against Wales and 0-0 against England.
Group C - Argentina and Poland
The Lionel Messi-led Argentina won two games by a similar scoreline of 2-0 against Mexico and Poland, despite starting their campaign with an upset loss against Qatar. While Argentina was first in Group C with six points, Poland qualified as runners-up with four points. Mexico also had four points but were behind in goal difference.
Group D - France and Australia
The Kylian Mbappe-starrer France was the first team to advance into the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 with two straight wins over Australia and Denmark. Despite losing to Tunisia in their final game, the defending champion finished at the top of the standings with six points. Australia defeated Tunisia and Denmark also to earn six points but finished second behind France due to goal difference.
Group E - Japan and Spain
Japan finished at the top of the Group E table with wins over former champions Spain and Germany. While Japan led the group with six points, Spain and Germany were tied at four points. However, Germany got knocked out of the Last 16 race despite winning against Costa Rica as Spain had a better goal difference.
Group F - Morocco and Croatia
Morocco became the Group F toppers with victories against Belgium and Canada. Croatia also defeated Canada and returned with draws against Belgium and Morcoo to earn five points. Belgium’s campaign ended after they found themselves in the third spot in the points table with four points.
Group G, Switzerland and Brazil
From Group G, Switzerland and Brazil have stormed into the Round of 16. However, Brazil suffered a 1-0 loss at the hands of Cameroon but since they won their first two matches, it wasn't a tough task for them to progress into the tournament. On the other hand, Switzerland rocked Serbia 3-2 in the final group stage to make it to the Last 16.
Group H- Portugal and South Korea
Group H saw Portugal icon and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo lead his team to the Round of 16, but the real shocker is their loss to South Korea, which saw the Asian nation go through to the Round of 16.
