2022 World Cup, quarterfinals: Croatia vs. Brazil; Netherlands vs. Argentina

We’re down to just eight teams from the 32 that began play at the World Cup a couple weeks ago, and those who remain are truly the cream of the crop (and also Morocco). Nearly every quarterfinal is a must-see matchup.

CROATIA vs. BRAZIL

Date / Time: Friday, December 9, 2022, 15.00 GMT; 10am EST
Venue: Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar
Referee: Michael Oliver (England)

On TV: BBC One (UK); Fox, Telemundo (USA); elsewhere
Streaming online: BBC iPlayer (UK); FOX Sports Live, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo (USA)

Chelsea interest: Brazil have looked perhaps the best team of all at the World Cup so far, and put on a show in their Round of 16 4-1 win over South Korea. Meanwhile, captain Thiago Silva has anchored a defense who have given up nary a goal through the first four games. And that could be a problem for Mateo Kovačić and Croatia, who scored four times against Canada but scored just once in their three other games. They needed penalties to squeeze past Japan in the previous round.

Photo by Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images

NETHERLANDS vs. ARGENTINA

Date / Time: Friday, December 9, 2022, 19.00 GMT; 2pm EST
Venue: Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, Qatar
Referee: Antonio Mateu Lahoz (Spain)

On TV: BBC One (UK); Fox, Telemundo (USA); elsewhere
Streaming online: BBC iPlayer (UK); FOX Sports Live, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo (USA)

Chelsea interest: It’s an up-and-coming Dutch side against Messi’s last hurrah. The Netherlands took care of business against the USA while Argentina did that same against Australia last weekend. But only one can advance now, and defeat will be disappointing for either. Cody Gakpo and Chelsea-linked Denzel Dumfries have been the breakout stars for Louis van Gaal; on the other side, young midfielder Enzo Fernández has managed to garner some attention alongside the one and only Messi.