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World Cup last 16 bracket predictions: Picking biggest shocks, best games and who wins
Knockout shakeup
The Round of 32 produced a string of upsets, including exits for Germany, Croatia and Japan, while Argentina survived a scare to keep its title defense alive. That combination of shocks and near-misses has made the championship picture more volatile, but also more focused on the deepest squads.
Top contenders
France’s strong progression keeps it in the premium tier of contenders, while Argentina’s survival preserves the appeal of a reigning champion with tournament pedigree. Spain and England also remain in the mix, but the bracket has already shown how quickly one bad game can reshape the race.
Why it matters
This stage matters because the remaining teams are now one or two rounds away from the stretch that usually decides the champion. Every matchup from here on carries extra weight, and one upset could remove a favorite before the quarterfinals.
What to watch
The next big question is whether the favorites can keep converting that status into clean wins. If they do, the tournament may narrow further toward a France-Argentina-Spain style finish; if not, the title race could reopen for a dark horse.