The Round of 16 fixtures at the 2018 Fifa World Cup are now over.
As the quarter-finals approach, we can look back at a thrilling set of games where we saw penalties, VAR controversies and a last-minute winner. Spain, ostensibly the best team in the competition, crashed out to the unfancied hosts Russia. With Spain out, one half of the draw became wide-open while the other contained the competitions best teams.
But which players performed best? Who struggled? We here at Squawka, teaming up with Sporting Index, have come up with two combined XIs – one covering the round of 16’s best players, and the other its worst. Who’s in which side? Read on and find out.
The Best
Danijel Subasic
Goalkeeper, Croatia
In truth, this could have been either of the goalkeepers from the Croatia-Denmark game, as they were both excellent. They made crucial stops during the game and then showed up in the shootout. Obviously Kasper Schmeichel saved Luka Modric’s tepid penalty in extra time but what gives Subasic the edge is that he stood tall in the shootout, or rather, he kicked his legs better to give his side a huge win.
Key Stat: Subasic became just the second-ever goalkeeper to save three penalties in a single World Cup shootout
Yerry Mina
Centre-back, Colombia
Some players are just born for big moments. Yerry Mina is one such player. His inclusion after missing Colombia’s opening game stabilised the side, unleashed Davinson Sánchez and he bagged two goals in two games as Los Cafeteros qualified. Against England he gave his best display yet, dominating his penalty box and nullifying England’s set-piece threat. And when Colombia had a 95th minute corner, needing a goal to equalise, you knew what was coming, didn’t you? Of course you did. A towering header to complete his performance and give his country life when it had none. The game went to penalties because Yerry Mina is a titan.
Key Stat: Yerry Mina is the first player to score three headers at a single World Cup since Miroslav Klose in 2002
Diego GodÃn
Centre-back, Uruguay
Uruguay actually conceded a goal for the first time in the tournament, but that still didn’t stop Diego GodÃn from putting in a magnificent performance. The Uruguay captain sensed danger like Spider-Man, and put it out with the ferocity of Wolverine. He was a totemic presence, especially when dealing with Portugal’s late assault.
Key Stat: Godin was the Uruguayan defender with the most passes completed and chances created in their game against Portugal
Ilya Kutepov
Centre-back, Russia
Russia played a genuine five at the back, but to be fair to them they were trying to keep out one of the best teams in world football with a 39-year-old playing at the heart of defence. Luckily for them, 24-year-old Ilya Kutepov stood tall and was a one-man Russian blockade, ensuring that Spain never really troubled Igor Akinfeev until the penalty shootout.
Key Stat: Kutepov made more interceptions (6) than any defender during the Round of 16. No defender made more blocks, either
Mario Fernandes
Right wing-back, Russia
The best Russian player was once again Brazilian-born Mario Fernandes. Tasked with keeping Isco and Jordi Alba quiet, Fernandes went about his job with rugged confidence and just about managed it, too. Spain got no joy down that right-flank, in fact Fernandes had more success raiding forward into Spain’s half than they did attacking him.
Key Stat: No player recovered the ball (13) and completed more successful passes (34) for Russia than Fernandes did in their victory over Spain
Lucas Torreira
Defensive midfield, Uruguay
It was fitting that on the same day Javier Mascherano got run out of international football by Kylian Mbappé, a new short and tenacious defensive midfielder from the rio de la plata emerged. Torreira screened his defence well and if the Portuguese managed to get around him, he was always on hand to mangle their attacks with excellent defensive interventions.
Key Stat: Torreira made more blocks than any other player in the Round of 16 and his 88% passing accuracy was Uruguay’s second-highest in the match against Portugal
Paul Pogba
Central midfield, France
The French midfielder came into the World Cup looking to make a statement, and he’s managed to be influential for France in every game so far – but the performance against Argentina was perhaps his finest yet. He dominated the game with the ball and his long pass to Kylian Mbappé won the penalty that split the whole tie open.
Key Stat: Pogba made more passes into the final third (9) and recovered the ball at least twice as many times as any other France outfielder.
Nacer Chadli
Left wing-back, Belgium
When Belgium tuned to Nacer Chadli after 65 minutes, they were 2-0 down to Japan. Thanks in part to Chadli’s penetrative athleticism, the Europeans penned their opponents back and equalised. As if that wasn’t enough, Chadli sprinted fully 80 yards in order to be on hand to tap-home a literal last-second winner.
Key Stat: After coming on against Japan in the 65th minute, Chadli won six out of nine duels, created one big chance and scored the winning goal.
Kylian Mbappé
Right forward, France
You know something special when you see it, and Kylian Mbappé against Argentina was something very special. So much pace and verve and invention. He terrorised Argentina, winning the opening penalty (he could have ended the game in the first-half had Didier Deschamps brought on Ousmane Dembélé to be his running mate) and then pulled France to victory in the second half with a superb brace.
Key Stat: Mbappé is the first teenager to score two goals in one World Cup match since Pelé in 1958
Edinson Cavani
Striker, Uruguay
With Luis Suarez to look to as a striker partner, Cavani has always been the lesser of The Boys from Salto, and usually struggled to be at his best for Uruguay, but against Portugal he was at his high-flying best. Besides his usual performance full of fizzing energy, he headed home Uruguay’s opener after an extended one-two with Suárez and slapped home the second with a classic Fifa “finesse” finish. He left the field through injury, and his health could well determine the fate of Uruguay’s World Cup hopes. He was that good.
Key Stat: Cavani scored two goals from just two shots on target against Portugal
Neymar
Left forward, Brazil
After his two PSG teammates delivered Man of the Match displays, Neymar knew he had to respond in kind, and that’s exactly what he did. Finally Neymar produced a top quality display at the World Cup, ripping Mexico to bits, scoring Brazil’s first goal and (unintentionally) setting up their second.
Key Stat: No player created more chances (5) or had more shots on target (4) in a single World Cup Round of 16 tie than Neymar
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The Worst
Franco Armani
Goalkeeper, Argentina
Argentina scored three goals against France and still lost, that is in part because of Franco Armani. Sure, one was a penalty and another was a screamer he had no hope of stopping. But the third goal, the game-turning goal, was hit straight at him and he missed it.
Key Stat: Armani failed to save any ot the four shots on target he faced against France
Nacho
Right-back, Spain
Nacho got the start for Spain ahead of Dani Carvajal, but he didn’t make use of his chance. Obviously with Russia so intense defensively, Nacho had acres of room with which to help Spain in the build-up, only to do absolutely nothing.
Key Stat: Nacho won just three duels against Russia, compared to 11 that were won against Portugal in the group stages.
Gerard Piqué
Centre-back, Spain
Piqué actually did his defensive job fairly well in open play. He protected Spain’s box against the Russian raids and did as well as anyone can be asked to do against Artem Dzyuba. He should have even won Spain a late penalty when he was fouled in the area. But he is a colossal loser for his nonsensical handball when his side were 1-0 up, giving the host nation an equaliser.
Key Stat: Piqué has conceded two penalties at World Cups, more than any other Spanish player in the competition since 1966.
Marcos Rojo
Centre-back, Argentina
Marcos Rojo was Argentina’s hero in the final group game against Argentina, but he was brutally exposed in the Round of 16 by Kylian Mbappé’s searing pace and skill. He gave away the penalty by shoving Mbappé, and was thereafter unable to cope with any of France’s attacks, getting exposed on their fourth goal in particular.
Key Stat: In 45 minutes of action, Rojo failed to win a single duel or tackle and conceded a penalty that resulted in France’s opener from the penalty spot.
Jan Vertonghen
Left-back, Belgium
When Gaku Shibasaki played a great through-ball through to Genki Haraguchi, Jan Vertonghen should have easily cut it out. But instead he somehow stepped over the pass and allowed Japan to take a 1-0 lead. He then did nothing as Takashi Inui stepped into a key danger zone to make it 2-0. It doesn’t matter that he scored a flukey header to make it 1-2, he’s a loser.
Key Stat: As well as making an error that directly led to a goal, Vertonghen lost possession more times than any other player in the game against Japan.
Javier Mascherano
Defensive midfield, Argentina
After going seven-for-seven with spectacular displays four years ago at the 2014 World Cup, Javier Mascherano goes four-for-four in terms of terrible performances at the 2018 World Cup. An abysmal display in which he was left embarrassingly grasping at thin air trying to contain Mbappé.
Key Stat: Mascherano won just 50% of duels he was involved in and conceded the joint most fouls of any other Argentinian player
Koke
Centre midfield, Spain
Another Spaniard imported to help stifle Russian counter-attacks, and to that end Koke did his job. But with the amount of possession that Spain saw, he should have done so much more with the ball than he did. Koke was downright wasteful, in fact.
Key Stat: Only 17% of Koke’s successful passes were made into the final third.
David Silva
Right wing, Spain
David Silva has always been a superb player for Manchester City, and for Spain too in qualifiers. When it comes to the summer tournaments, though, he has always struggled. Russia 2018 was no exception to this and Silva’s performance against Russia was impotent and useless.
Key Stat: Silva failed to create a single chance during the game against Russia
Steven Zuber
Left wing, Switzerland
Steven Zuber played for Switzerland against an inferior Sweden and was so anonymous the only time one remembered he was on the pitch was when he was taken off it in the second half. While Xherdan Shaqiri didn’t manage to create a goal for the Swiss he was at least constantly trying. What was Zuber doing?
Key Stat: Zuber created just one chance for Switzerland and made the second-fewest number of successful passes.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker, Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo marked his first performance of the tournament with a sensational display of great movement that was only improved by his hat-trick. Since then he has largely reverted to his old World Cup habits of drifting aimlessly through games and blasting shot after shot at goal, no matter the wisdom of the opportunity. Against Uruguay he even took the time to berate the official on his way out of the tournament.
Key Stat: Having taken just two touches inside the opponents’ penalty area, Ronaldo took six shots from outside of it. Only one of these was even on target.
Marcus Berg
Striker, Sweden
Sweden won 1-0, but it should have been more comfortable. The Swedes created a handful of chances and the majority of them were (not) taken by Marcus Berg, the tall striker who inexplicably failed to take some absolute sitters handed to him by a nervy Swiss defence.
Key Stat: No player has taken more shots at the World Cup (13) and failed to score than Marcus Berg.
The post From Cavani to Rojo: Best and worst combined XIs from the 2018 World Cup Round of 16 appeared first on Squawka News.
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