This is the moment when the FIFA World Cup starts to get interesting. The first two matches of the 2018 quarterfinals are set to begin with the first four. Uruguay, the unlikely qualifiers who beat Portugal to make it here, against France, a team that looks like it could easily win the entire championship. Followed by Brazil, another team that is favored to win, but hasn't played to its fullest potential yet, and, Belgium, who have all the makings of a championship team but ran into significant issues against Japan in the Round of 16. No matter how it plays out, we are in for a treat. These first two quarterfinals matches will set the tone for what's to come and should give a window into which teams will fare better in the semifinals and even the championships match.
Uruguay vs. France
The respective winners of Group A and Group C will meet at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, with a chance to meet either Brazil or Belgium in the semifinals. Both teams have a lot on their minds with Uruguay's biggest concern being the heath of their golden striker, Edinson Cavani, while France will be focused on their incredible pace led by their stars Antoine Griezman and Kylian Mbappe.
Both Uruguay and France can win the match, but it looks as if France has a bit of an advantage over the Uruguayans. bet365 Sports has listed its pre-game odds in favor of France at 2.00. Uruguay is at 4.60. There are also an additional 142 betting markets available before the whistle, and, live in play odds throughout the entire match.
Brazil vs. Belgium
If Belgium can pull it off, it will go down as an upset, but it shouldn't be that big an upset. Belgium is one of the strongest teams in the world right now, and their coach Roberto Martinez has come out and admitted that he is here to stop Brazil's chance for a sixth world cup. This match, for Belgium, is the dream case for its players as they will be facing what many say is the best in the world right now, and defeating the Brazilian team would be life-changing for many of the star-studded Belgium roster. “It’s a dream match for our players,” Martinez told Belgian press after sealing qualification for the last eight with a last-gasp 3-2 victory over Japan in the first phase of the knockout rounds.