Cristiano Ronaldo has been left on the bench for Portugal's match against Switzerland in the last 16 of the World Cup.
Ronaldo's role in the Portugal team has been the subject of some debate in recent days following his substitution in the final group game against South Korea.
The free agent forward appeared to offer a dissenting comment towards coach Fernando Santos, who said on Monday: "I really didn't like it at all."
Santos added the issues had been "resolved", with the focus on facing Switzerland, but Ronaldo was not in his starting line-up when the team news was announced on Tuesday.
The all-time leading international goalscorer was replaced by Goncalo Ramos, with Pepe taking over the captain's armband.
Ronaldo is still waiting on his first knockout goal at a World Cup, having seen great rival Lionel Messi break his duck on Saturday.
The 37-year-old was released from his Manchester United contract earlier in the tournament and is yet to agree a deal with a new club, although a significant offer from Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia has been reported.
Zlatko Dalic says Brazil's "terrifying" attack makes them the best team at the World Cup but the Croatia coach is adamant his team do not fear the Selecao ahead of Friday's
Croatia, runners-up in 2018, beat Japan on penalties following a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Monday's last-16 tie, setting up a meeting with the favourites
Brazil raced to a statement 4-1 win over South Korea to cruise into the last eight, scoring all of their goals in the opening 36 minutes.
With Neymar returning from injury to take his place alongside Vinicius Junior, Richarlison and Raphinha in a star-studded frontline, Dalic knows Croatia face the sternest of challenges.
"Brazil is the favourite, let's face it," Dalic said on Tuesday. "Brazil is the most powerful and the best national team at the World Cup.
"What I've seen so far, when you take a look at their selection of players, their quality, skills and value, then it is indeed terrifying.
"I think we have a great exam ahead of us, a tough task against the team which plays great soccer with so many good quality and fast players."
Croatia have reached at least the semi-finals at both previous World Cups when they advanced from their group (1998 and 2018), and Dalic says his side should not be written off.
"I think we have nothing to fear," Dalic said. "We need to enter the match with much faith, self-confidence and looking for our chances. Enjoy the occasion of playing Brazil, that's it.
"[It's] too early, if only it were the final. It is a great team, but I believe that we can challenge them. We need to be smart. The match is not 50-50, but we are also not outsiders."
Samuel Eto'o has apologised for "reacting in a way that does not match my personality" during a "violent altercation" after Brazil's win over South Korea on Monday.
A video was widely circulated on social media on Tuesday of Eto'o, who won 118 caps for Cameroon during a decorated playing career, clashing with a man outside Stadium 974 before appearing to knee him in the face.
In a statement posted on his Twitter account, Eto'o – who is now president of the Cameroonian Football Federation – apologised for his involvement in the incident, which he blamed on the ongoing fallout from Cameroon's World Cup play-off win over Algeria in March.
The Algerian Football Federation called for a replay of the second leg after what they described as "scandalous" refereeing decisions.
Cameroon reached Qatar 2022 courtesy of Karl Toko Ekambi's 124th-minute winner, and former Barcelona and Inter striker Eto'o believes Monday's incident was the latest in a line of "relentless provocation and daily harassment" by Algeria supporters.
"On December 5, after the Brazil-South Korea match, I had a violent altercation with a person who was probably an Algerian supporter," the statement read.
"I would like to apologise for losing my temper and reacting in a way that does not match my personality. I apologise to the public for this unfortunate incident.
"I pledge to continue to resist the relentless provocation and daily harassment of some Algerian supporters.
"Indeed, since the Cameroon-Algeria match on 29 March in Blida, I have been the target of insults and allegations of cheating without any evidence.
"During this World Cup, Cameroonian fans have been harassed and pestered by Algerians on the same subject. I would like to mention that the scenario of Algeria's defeat was cruel but perfectly in line with the rules and ethics of our sport.
"All the appeals made by the Algerian Football Federation to the competent jurisdictions have been rejected.
"I therefore call on Algerian authorities and Federation to take their responsibilities to put an end to this unhealthy climate before a more serious tragedy occurs.
"To Fennecs' fans, I wish that they find peace and manage to overcome the disappointment of a painful defeat, now behind us."
Samuel Eto'o has apologised for "reacting in a way that does not match my personality" during a "violent altercation" after Brazil's win over South Korea on Monday.
A video was widely circulated on social media on Tuesday of Eto'o, who won 118 caps for Cameroon during a decorated playing career, clashing with a man outside Stadium 974 before appearing to knee him in the face.
In a statement posted on his Twitter account, Eto'o – who is now president of the Cameroonian Football Federation – apologised for his involvement in the incident, which he blamed on the ongoing fallout from Cameroon's World Cup play-off win over Algeria in March.
The Algerian Football Federation called for a replay of the second leg after what they described as "scandalous" refereeing decisions.
Cameroon reached Qatar 2022 courtesy of Karl Toko Ekambi's 124th-minute winner, and former Barcelona and Inter striker Eto'o believes Monday's incident was the latest in a line of "relentless provocation and daily harassment" by Algeria supporters.
"On December 5, after the Brazil-South Korea match, I had a violent altercation with a person who was probably an Algerian supporter," the statement read.
"I would like to apologise for losing my temper and reacting in a way that does not match my personality. I apologise to the public for this unfortunate incident.
"I pledge to continue to resist the relentless provocation and daily harassment of some Algerian supporters.
"Indeed, since the Cameroon-Algeria match on 29 March in Blida, I have been the target of insults and allegations of cheating without any evidence.
"During this World Cup, Cameroonian fans have been harassed and pestered by Algerians on the same subject. I would like to mention that the scenario of Algeria's defeat was cruel but perfectly in line with the rules and ethics of our sport.
"All the appeals made by the Algerian Football Federation to the competent jurisdictions have been rejected.
"I therefore call on Algerian authorities and Federation to take their responsibilities to put an end to this unhealthy climate before a more serious tragedy occurs.
"To Fennecs' fans, I wish that they find peace and manage to overcome the disappointment of a painful defeat, now behind us."
Kylian Mbappe was absent from France's training session four days before the holders face England in a World Cup quarter-final.
The leading scorer in the tournament, with five goals from four appearances, was in the recovery room on Tuesday when his team-mates trained at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.
Mbappe had been troubled by an ankle injury before the tournament started in Qatar.
The Paris-Saint Germain man has shown no signs of being hampered, lighting up the tournament and putting himself in pole position to claim the Golden Boot.
He scored two superb goals in a 3-1 round-of-16 win over Poland on Sunday, having also helped himself to a decisive double in a victory over Denmark and found the back of the net in an opening win over Australia.
Mbappe has also provided two assists for the defending champions.
Al Bayt Stadium will be the venue for a huge last-eight showdown between Les Bleus and Gareth Southgate's side, who beat Senegal 3-0 to move into the quarter-finals.
Oliver Giroud hopes his "natural and spontaneous" relationship with Kylian Mbappe will transmit "enthusiasm" throughout the France side ahead of their World Cup quarter-final showdown with England.
Mbappe is the leading scorer at this year's finals with five goals, including a brace in Les Bleus' last-16 victory over Poland, while he has also assisted two of Giroud's three strikes in Qatar.
That included a precise throughball for the Milan forward to net his record-breaking 52nd international goal against the Poles, moving him ahead of Thierry Henry on France's all-time scoring list.
"My relationship with Mbappe is very good and, for me, it always has been," the 36-year-old said.
"It's natural and spontaneous. High-level sport brings magical moments to life and it is this enthusiasm that we want to convey in this team."
Reigning champions France are now just three victories away from becoming the third nation to successfully defend their World Cup crown, and first since Brazil in 1962.
Giroud says Didier Deschamps' side believe they can achieve the feat, but he is wary of the challenge to be posed by the Three Lions, who have scored 12 goals in their four matches so far.
"We are confident, but there are still three games to win," he added. "We know it would be huge for history to do it, but we're just focused on the game against England.
"The profiles of the players on the wide areas are those who are fast, tackle and take up spaces. They are also dangerous on set-pieces, with size.
"There are amazing players in all areas of the game. We will have to be vigilant in defence, but so will they."
Frenkie de Jong says he has no inside track on how to stop his former Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi, as the Netherlands and Argentina prepare to meet in the World Cup.
The two sides will square off in the quarter-finals at Qatar 2022, with Louis van Gaal's Oranje having beaten the United States and Lionel Scaloni's Albiceleste having felled Australia.
With three goals so far this tournament - and in likely his last visit to the World Cup - Messi has netted three goals and ignited an otherwise hit-and-miss Argentina side.
As the forward pursues the biggest honour to elude him across his trophy-laden career, Netherlands fans might have hoped De Jong would know how to stop his ex-colleague, but the Dutchman says that is not the case.
"No," he told ESPN. "I know him, but I don't know how to stop him. He's been making the difference for 15 years and there is not one way to stop him.
"Usually he would still make the difference during training too. We just have to stop him as a team.
Asked if he had spoken to Messi since their clash was confirmed, De Jong added: "We haven't texted each other. I am not planning to. We will see each other on Friday."
Having joined Barcelona in 2019, De Jong was a member of the Barca team that claimed the 2020-21 Copa del Rey alongside Messi, with both scoring in the final.
The latter was on hand when Argentina beat the Netherlands in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals, before they were downed by Germany in the final, and De Jong is determined to ensure there is no repeat.
"Argentina is of course a top team," he added. "But so are we. It will be a very good match, but I am confident. I think they look at us the same way. It's a 50-50 encounter."
Louis van Gaal has called on the Netherlands to replicate their 2014 World Cup semi-final performance to contain Lionel Messi in Friday's quarter-final clash with Argentina.
Van Gaal's side reached the last eight with a 3-1 win over the United States on Saturday, while Argentina joined them by beating Australia 2-1 as Messi scored his first World Cup knockout goal.
Friday's match will represent the sixth World Cup meeting between the two teams. Only two fixtures have been played more often at the tournament – Brazil versus Sweden and Argentina versus Germany (both seven).
Argentina triumphed on penalties after the last such fixture finished goalless in 2014's semi-finals, when Van Gaal was in the second of his three spells with the Oranje, and he says they must replicate their defensive work from that game to keep Messi quiet.
"Of course, Messi is the most important player for them, the most creative. Those are always the most important players," he told De Telegraaf.
"Eight years ago at the World Cup in Brazil, we succeeded well in neutralising Messi. He didn't hit a ball then.
"We thought we were the better team, but we eventually lost on penalties. I can't back it up with facts any more, but that's my memory.
"I substituted to win the game in regular time. Unfortunately, that did not work out. In retrospect, it may have been a stupid decision."
Excluding shoot-outs, Van Gaal is unbeaten in his 11 World Cup matches as a coach (W8 D3). If the Netherlands avoid defeat against Argentina, he will equal ex-Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari's record of 12 games without defeat from the start of a World Cup managerial career.
Despite criticism of the Netherlands' style, Van Gaal believes they have grown into the tournament after several players overcame fitness issues.
"I believe in the team over the individual player," he added. "It is not the case that we have already achieved top form as a team. We can be much better, that's what I've always said.
"There is an upward trend. You should also not forget how we arrived with these 26 players. There were players who were not match fit. We had to build them up and so on.
"Much of that is now behind us. Memphis [Depay] can now play 90 minutes, for example. More were sick, weak, or nauseous. That is getting better.
"With our tactical plan we can surprise the opponent. That has been proven several times. These guys haven't lost under my leadership."
No team has appeared in more World Cup finals without winning than the Netherlands (three), and while Van Gaal believes they have the ability to lift the trophy, he acknowledges they are not favourites.
"I said that we can become world champions with this squad," Van Gaal said. "I didn't say we're going to be world champions, but we can be.
"If we don't become world champions in the end, because there can only be one, I don't think you can say we failed."
Gavi will be the youngest player since Pele to start in a World Cup knockout game when he takes to the field for Spain against Morocco.
Luis Enrique's team go head to head with Morocco at Education City in a last-16 tie on Tuesday.
Barcelona midfielder Gavi started all three of Spain's Group E matches and that trend continued as he was named in Luis Enrique's starting XI.
At the age of 18 years and 123 days, he will be the youngest player to feature from the start of a World Cup knockout match since Brazil great Pele (aged 17 years and 249 days) in the 1958 final.
Pele scored twice in that match as Brazil beat Sweden 5-2 to win the first of five world titles.
Takehiro Tomiyasu described his own performance as a "disaster" as Japan were knocked out of the World Cup by Croatia on Monday.
Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma and Maya Yoshida all missed their spot-kicks in a shoot-out following a 1-1 draw at Al Janoub Stadium, with Croatia advancing to a quarter-final against Brazil.
It meant Japan have been eliminated from all four of their round-of-16 appearances at the World Cup, while they have lost both of their penalty shoot-outs in the competition (also versus Paraguay in 2010).
Tomiyasu registered the worst pass completion rate of any outfield player to play the full 120 minutes (67.7 per cent), while he lost possession a game-high 27 times.
The Arsenal defender, who also failed to make a single tackle or interception, was disappointed with his display and said Japan need to be "much, much better" in future.
"Of course, we are so disappointed with the result," he said.
"My performance was a disaster so I am sorry for the team. I just need to be much, much better to help the team.
"It was not enough and also for the team, we did not deserve to win. We were so close to achieving our aim. They were better than us.
"I can't be proud. I am not satisfied about what happened. This is football and we need to be much, much better to win against a stronger team."
Tomiyasu will return to club duty with Arsenal now and will hope to feature in the Premier League leaders' first match after the World Cup against West Ham on December 26.
England's focus cannot be on Kylian Mbappe alone when they face France in the World Cup quarter-finals, says Luke Shaw.
Gareth Southgate's side will face Les Bleus on Saturday after both reached the last-eight in comfortable fashion, with the Three Lions running out 3-0 victors over Senegal.
Didier Deschamps' defending champions meanwhile overcame Poland 3-1, with Mbappe celebrating a double and Olivier Giroud breaking the nation's all-time goalscorer record.
Shaw warned the quality of talent across the board is something England must address rather than keep their focus firmly on stopping Paris Saint-Germain superstar Mbappe, who has five goals at Qatar 2022 already to his name.
"Obviously after his performance [against Poland], there's going to be even more chat about him," he said. "But we know he's a world-class player.
"I think it would be very naive of us to focus purely on him. They're reigning world champions for a reason and we need to focus on them as a whole team.
"They have brilliant players over the whole pitch, so we're not going to fully focus on him, but it's an amazing tie to be involved in and that's why we're here."
England posted their third clean sheet of the tournament in four matches against Senegal, as Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka fired the Three Lions to victory.
Shaw feels it marked another forward step for the team but stressed they will need to be fully switched on to deal with their toughest opponent yet.
"I think we're really happy with the victory, another clean sheet obviously," he added. "We were more clinical in front of goal. We defended well as well, not too many chances for them.
"In the first half, a couple of sloppy passes put [us] under pressure, but apart from that, overall I think it's a solid performance. It needs to give us confidence and the belief.
"We have to be at 100 per cent to win this game, and we know that. I think we need to step up another level because France are a very good team."
Gareth Southgate has pushed the England squad ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against France, challenging his side to create history in Qatar.
The Three Lions progressed past Senegal in the first knockout round to clinch a tie against the defending champions, presenting England's biggest test so far at the tournament.
Defeat against Didier Deschamps' side would mark England's earliest exit from a major tournament under Southgate, who led the side to the semi-finals of the World Cup in Russia and finished as runners-up to Italy at Euro 2020.
While those improvements are significant, England have fallen at a crucial hurdle against tough opponents in each of those tournaments – losing 2-1 to Croatia in 2018 before a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat at Wembley last year.
Southgate has used that record to issue a challenge to his squad, identifying that winning fixtures away from home against top opposition is something yet to be achieved.
"We've made quite a bit of history over the last four or five years, not all of it good, but that's the great challenge," he said.
"When you go back through the tournaments, you do see the teams that have knocked England out. We haven't been able to do that [win an away knockout against elite opposition] so that's the next test for this team.
"We have a lot of experience of these moments and they know that they've had to win games in different ways; they've had to come from behind in big matches.
"What we talked about against Senegal was keeping the relentless pressure going, not sitting back when we were ahead, making sure that we kept the intensity of our game. We've got to do that now against the world champions."
England's success under Southgate is a far cry from his predecessors, where disappointing exits from tournaments were par from the course, which led Southgate to identify the difficulties faced on the international stage – and highlighted bringing in young players early was crucial.
"There have been lots of moments when to play with England is difficult. It's a different sort of challenge to your club. It's far more scrutiny," he explained.
"So you have to be able to handle that. When we're selecting players, we're looking at their ability to handle that mentally as much as anything else.
"The young lads that have come in are showing that. But you never know until they are in these moments how that's going to be.
"We had a lot of caps on the pitch against Senegal, even the younger ones, because we've blooded them early."
Brazil coach Tite believes Neymar is irreplaceable because his technical abilities are what empower the rest of the team.
Neymar was back in the starting XI for Monday's World Cup last-16 win over South Korea at Stadium 974 after injuring ankle ligaments on matchday one.
His participation for the rest of the tournament had been in doubt, but he returned and played a key role in the comfortable 4-1 victory, scoring a penalty that took him to within one goal of Pele's all-time record of 77.
Brazil were irresistible at times in the first half and Neymar was generally at the centre of their most promising attacks, even if he did not necessarily record an assist.
Before Monday, Brazil's performances had been functional if not spectacular, but Neymar's return was important for the fluidity of the rest of the team.
"He's a technical reference. This is technical leadership. When a team looks for the player, they know that they have a weapon there, [someone who can make] the difference," Tite said of the Paris Saint-Germain forward.
"Everyone has their own striking characteristics, but Neymar is the centre, the one who empowers the others."
With his early spot-kick, Neymar became the third Brazil player to score at three editions of the World Cup (2014, 2018 and 2022) after Pele and Ronaldo.
He also created two chances and stepped over the ball before Vinicius Junior coolly opened the scoring in the seventh minute, while only Casemiro and Raphinha – two players who finished the game – managed more than Neymar's 17 passes in the final third, highlighting his involvement in the Selecao's attacks.
Tite's assistant, Cesar Sampaio, believes having Neymar back also provides a mental boost to his team-mates on top of his technical excellence.
"Neymar for sure provides a competitive advantage, he makes a difference on pitch," he said.
"He's a driving force. I'm going round and round, beating around the bush to talk about him, but in a nutshell I'd like to congratulate our physios for their work.
"Neymar, besides his technical skills, he motivates the others and we are very happy to have him back. He had a great performance, he's recovered and ready for new challenges.
"He made important steps, and with him we can reach our full potential."
Brazil's victory set up a quarter-final clash with Croatia on Friday after Zlatko Dalic's men defeated Japan 3-1 on penalties following a 1-1 draw earlier in the day.
Zlatko Dalic confidently declared the World Cup in Qatar will not be Luka Modric's last international tournament as the Croatia head coach insisted the midfielder will "strive for self-improvement".
Croatia have become accustomed to requiring extra time and penalties at FIFA's top tournament, edging past Japan with a shoot-out victory on Monday to tee up a quarter-final clash with Brazil.
Dalic's side needed penalties to defeat Denmark and Russia, then extra time against England, as they reached the final in 2018, the year in which Modric won the Ballon d'Or with his efforts for club and country.
The Real Madrid veteran is now 37, yet Dalic has no doubts he can call upon the evergreen veteran past the tournament in Qatar.
"This will not be Luka’s last tournament," Dalic said. "He will continue to play for Croatia, I am absolutely certain of that.
"Luka continues to work hard and he continues to strive for self-improvement. We will need him for some time more in the future."
Croatia have a fine record at the World Cup, finishing third in 1998 and runners-up in 2018, with another chance to reach the last four if they can overcome Brazil at the Education City Stadium on Friday.
Dalic believes the performances of Croatia on the global stage are "unrivalled" as his side aim to cause an upset against one of the pre-tournament favourites.
"The results we have produced at the World Cup and in European Championships over the last few years are unrivalled for a country of our size," he added.
"I believe this team has given great success to our people – and when you look at it this really is a miracle.
"We have become a force in world football because we are a nation who always feels like we have to prove ourselves."
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