Not always convincing in the group stage, Ronaldo's Portugal faces Modric's Croatia on Thursday in the round of 16 of the World Cup, where Lamine Yamal's Spain, facing Austria, wants to break the spell by finally winning a knockout match for the first time since 2010.

In the third duel of the day, Switzerland will put aside any nostalgia when they meet again, at the head of Algeria, Vladimir Petkovic, who had taken the "Nati" to the next level in Europe from 2014 to 2021.

Spain wants to recapture the spirit of 2010

Eliminated in the first round in 2014, then in the round of 16 -- in editions without the round of 32 -- in 2018 and 2022, the Spanish European champions hope to finally break the curse that has followed them for sixteen years now since their first and only world title.

"Those are things of the past. We are focusing on the day-to-day, on arriving as well prepared as possible," said coach Luis De La Fuente before the match against Austria in Los Angeles (7:00 PM GMT).

At the top of their group despite a slow start against Cape Verde (0-0) and a mixed impression, La Roja must raise their game with their prodigy Lamine Yamal, ready to play the whole match.

On the other side, Austria, with its pillars David Alaba and Marcel Sabitzer, did the essential against Jordan (3-1), resisted in vain against Argentina (2-0), before snatching a draw in extremis against Algeria (3-3).

CR7 versus Modric,

At the twilight of their international careers, the forty-somethings Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric will deliver a final showdown, after having shared so many titles together at Real Madrid, between 2012 and 2018.

This clash between Portugal and Croatia, scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (11:00 p.m. GMT) in Toronto, risks being affected by the extreme heat wave in the northeastern part of the American continent, with maximum temperatures expected to be between 34 and 37°C in the Canadian city.

So far Portugal has alternated between good (5-0 against Uzbekistan) and not-so-good (1-1 against DR Congo, and 0-0 against Colombia) and has had to settle for second place in its group.

With no certainties in the game heading into the final phase, it is time for Roberto Martinez's men to justify their presence among the favorites at the start of the competition.

To do this, they will have to eliminate Croatia, who, in addition to Modric (40 years old), still rely on another veteran, Ivan Perisic (37 years old), despite the emergence of Martin Baturina or Luka Sucic, both goalscorers and aged 23.

Switzerland faces its "mentor"

Solid if not truly attractive, Switzerland is confident before facing Algeria in Vancouver (03:00 GMT), led by Vladimir Petkovic who had taken the Swiss to the next level.

The Bosnian coach, who became a naturalized Swiss citizen, notably guided the Nati to the quarter-finals of Euro 2021, after eliminating France, featuring Didier Deschamps and Kylian Mbappé.

Petkovic now has the ambition to bring the Fennecs back to the round of 16 of the World Cup for the first time since 2014 in Brazil.

England pulls through, Belgium a miracle

Long trailing against an impressively united Congolese side, after an early goal from Brian Cipenga (7th minute), the English relied on their striker and captain Harry Kane, who scored twice in the last quarter of an hour (75th and 86th minutes), to pull through.

The level will rise a notch in the next round for Thomas Tuchel's men who face one of the host countries, Mexico, undefeated without conceding a single goal.

Belgium were trailing 2-0 and heading straight for an early exit when Senegal collapsed in three minutes. Romelu Lukaku (86th minute) and Youri Tielemans (89th minute) scored to force extra time. Tielemans then sealed the victory for the Lions of Teranga by converting a penalty deep into extra time.

Like England, the Red Devils will face one of the host countries, the United States, in the next round. Team USA will be without Monaco striker Folarin Balogun, who was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina (2-0) after scoring his third goal of the tournament.

AFP wants to break the spell by finally winning a knockout match for the first time since 2010.

In the third duel of the day, Switzerland will put aside any nostalgia when they meet again, at the head of Algeria, Vladimir Petkovic, who had taken the "Nati" to the next level in Europe from 2014 to 2021.

Spain wants to recapture the spirit of 2010

Eliminated in the first round in 2014, then in the round of 16 -- in editions without the round of 32 -- in 2018 and 2022, the Spanish European champions hope to finally break the curse that has followed them for sixteen years now since their first and only world title.

"Those are things of the past. We are focusing on the day-to-day, on arriving as well prepared as possible," said coach Luis De La Fuente before the match against Austria in Los Angeles (7:00 PM GMT).

At the top of their group despite a slow start against Cape Verde (0-0) and a mixed impression, La Roja must raise their game with their prodigy Lamine Yamal, ready to play the whole match.

On the other side, Austria, with its pillars David Alaba and Marcel Sabitzer, did the essential against Jordan (3-1), resisted in vain against Argentina (2-0), before snatching a draw in extremis against Algeria (3-3).

CR7 versus Modric,

At the twilight of their international careers, the forty-somethings Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric will deliver a final showdown, after having shared so many titles together at Real Madrid, between 2012 and 2018.

This clash between Portugal and Croatia, scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (11:00 p.m. GMT) in Toronto, risks being affected by the extreme heat wave in the northeastern part of the American continent, with maximum temperatures expected to be between 34 and 37°C in the Canadian city.

So far Portugal has alternated between good (5-0 against Uzbekistan) and not-so-good (1-1 against DR Congo, and 0-0 against Colombia) and has had to settle for second place in its group.

With no certainties in the game heading into the final phase, it is time for Roberto Martinez's men to justify their presence among the favorites at the start of the competition.

To do this, they will have to eliminate Croatia, who, in addition to Modric (40 years old), still rely on another veteran, Ivan Perisic (37 years old), despite the emergence of Martin Baturina or Luka Sucic, both goalscorers and aged 23.

Switzerland confronts its "mentor"

Solid if not truly attractive, Switzerland is confident before facing Algeria in Vancouver (03:00 GMT), led by Vladimir Petkovic who had taken the Swiss to the next level.

The Bosnian coach, who became a naturalized Swiss citizen, notably guided the Nati to the quarter-finals of Euro 2021, after eliminating France, featuring Didier Deschamps and Kylian Mbappé.

Petkovic now has the ambition to bring the Fennecs back to the round of 16 of the World Cup for the first time since 2014 in Brazil.

England pulls through, Belgium miraculously survives.

Long trailing against an impressively united Congolese side, after an early goal from Brian Cipenga (7th minute), the English relied on their striker and captain Harry Kane, who scored twice in the last quarter of an hour (75th and 86th minutes), to pull through.

The level will rise a notch in the next round for Thomas Tuchel's men who face one of the host countries, Mexico, undefeated without conceding a single goal.

Belgium were trailing 2-0 and heading straight for an early exit when Senegal collapsed in three minutes. Romelu Lukaku (86th minute) and Youri Tielemans (89th minute) scored to force extra time. Tielemans then sealed the victory for the Lions of Teranga by converting a penalty deep into extra time.

Like England, the Red Devils will face one of the host countries, the United States, in the next round. Team USA will be without Monaco striker Folarin Balogun, who was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina (2-0) after scoring his third goal of the tournament.

AFP