In each of our quarter finals the higher-ranked side prevailed, with the two closest in the rankings - Spain and Germany - producing an epic for the ages:
We have three of the big sides - current holders France, 2018 champions Spain, and England, who hold the Nations Cup & the Confederations Cup. That leaves upstarts Ukraine, who have maintained a 100% winning rate this tournament, looking very solid in the process.
We'll be covering both matches today, so let's get ready for some tense late-tournament football!
France vs Spain
France always seem to play Italy at a DWC (although not this year), and Spain have always faced Germany. But these two never seem to meet. They seemed set to meet in last year's DWC final, but Spain's penalty defeat to 10-man Argentina saw them bow out. Both teams have had a fairly comfortable win in the knockout stages, and a nervy penalty victory.
Ander Herrera is fit to return for France, but Leandro Paredes keeps his place. Therefore, France's only change is Juan Bernat reclaiming his place from Mattia de Sciglio. Spain's Casemiro is suspended, so Sergio Busquets comes in. Spain also bring back Toni Kroos who was rested against Germany.
We'll be covering both matches today, so let's get ready for some tense late-tournament football!
France vs Spain
France always seem to play Italy at a DWC (although not this year), and Spain have always faced Germany. But these two never seem to meet. They seemed set to meet in last year's DWC final, but Spain's penalty defeat to 10-man Argentina saw them bow out. Both teams have had a fairly comfortable win in the knockout stages, and a nervy penalty victory.
Ander Herrera is fit to return for France, but Leandro Paredes keeps his place. Therefore, France's only change is Juan Bernat reclaiming his place from Mattia de Sciglio. Spain's Casemiro is suspended, so Sergio Busquets comes in. Spain also bring back Toni Kroos who was rested against Germany.
It's an entertaining start, with Neymar in particular giving Sergi Roberto a difficult time. On the same flank, Bernat gets past Messi and runs deep into the Spain box, only to hit his shot at Jan Oblak. At the other end, Presnel Kimpembe clears a cross into the back of Danilo Pereira, forcing Keylor Navas into a diving save, with Karim Benzema heading over just after.
In the 25th minute France have a corner, but Neymar's centre is easily cleared. Benzema doesn't try to get on the end of it though, and allows Bernat to pick it up and play it back to Neymar. Jordi Alba is far too slow to close him down, and Neymar fires a shot past Oblak to open the scoring!
In the 25th minute France have a corner, but Neymar's centre is easily cleared. Benzema doesn't try to get on the end of it though, and allows Bernat to pick it up and play it back to Neymar. Jordi Alba is far too slow to close him down, and Neymar fires a shot past Oblak to open the scoring!
Neymar brings another save from Oblak with a 25 yard shot following a flowing move from a goal kick. Spain quickly lose it, and Kimpembe's pass puts the Brazilian clean through - but he fires straight at Oblak. The flag actually was up, even though Neymar appeared to time his run perfectly.
At half time, Spain look weak in defence and a bit blunt up front.
Five minutes into the second half, and Verratti receives a free kick. He is able to turn and float a ball over the top for Kylian Mbappé, who brings it down and shoots towards the bottom corner, only to be denied by another Oblak save!
Spain replace Luka Modric with Jesús Navas, there to provide more support for Roberto whilst allowing Messi to play closer to Benzema. But France are able to bypass this obstacle when Kimpembe plays a long pass behind Roberto for Mbappé to run onto. He gets past Roberto, draws Sergio Ramos out of position and pulls it back for Neymar to slam it in for his and France's second!
At half time, Spain look weak in defence and a bit blunt up front.
Five minutes into the second half, and Verratti receives a free kick. He is able to turn and float a ball over the top for Kylian Mbappé, who brings it down and shoots towards the bottom corner, only to be denied by another Oblak save!
Spain replace Luka Modric with Jesús Navas, there to provide more support for Roberto whilst allowing Messi to play closer to Benzema. But France are able to bypass this obstacle when Kimpembe plays a long pass behind Roberto for Mbappé to run onto. He gets past Roberto, draws Sergio Ramos out of position and pulls it back for Neymar to slam it in for his and France's second!
Spain look scrambled, and a few minutes later Alessandro Florenzi's long throw somehow is allowed to come to Mbappé on the edge of the 6 yard box, and somehow he contrives to hit the outside of the post with his shot.
Benzema is replaced by Luis Suárez, and he tries to run onto Antoine Griezmann's through ball in the 82nd minute. He gets it past Navas, but Kimpembe is there to make the block! What a game the young centre back is having!
Spain just can't break their opponents down, and in the 90th minute when one attack falls apart France break at pace. Paredes plays it to Mbappé, who holds it up and places it for Marco Verratti to run onto. He coolly slots it into the bottom corner to wrap the match up for France!
Benzema is replaced by Luis Suárez, and he tries to run onto Antoine Griezmann's through ball in the 82nd minute. He gets it past Navas, but Kimpembe is there to make the block! What a game the young centre back is having!
Spain just can't break their opponents down, and in the 90th minute when one attack falls apart France break at pace. Paredes plays it to Mbappé, who holds it up and places it for Marco Verratti to run onto. He coolly slots it into the bottom corner to wrap the match up for France!
And that's it, Spain hadn't done much before that killer blow, and didn't do anything afterwards.
Final score: France 3-0 Spain
Player of the match: Neymar (FRA)
That was ominously good from France, in their first clash with one of the other big teams in this DWC. Spain looked so slow and flat by comparison. Crucially, they failed defensively, failing to press in the right moments and getting caught behind at other times.
Final score: France 3-0 Spain
Player of the match: Neymar (FRA)
That was ominously good from France, in their first clash with one of the other big teams in this DWC. Spain looked so slow and flat by comparison. Crucially, they failed defensively, failing to press in the right moments and getting caught behind at other times.
England vs Ukraine
So who will France take on in the final? Naturally, England are favourites here. Like France, they've had a goalless draw with Colombia but otherwise won every game with ease. But Ukraine have emerged as a deserving 'best of the rest' with a serene run of their own. They also beat Germany in the group stage, albeit in a match that was more-or-less a dead rubber.
England have Sadio Mané back available, and he returns in place of Son Heung-Min. But they have the blow of a shoulder injury to Kevin de Bruyne. He would be fit for the final, but not here. Fernandinho is also unavailable, due to accumulation of yellows. The Man City pair are replaced by Fabinho and Bruno Fernandes. Ukraine, for their part, have Maycon out through suspension, but Taras Stepanenko returns so they swap. Sergiy Kryvtsov is also available again, and he replaces Mykola Matvienko.
So who will France take on in the final? Naturally, England are favourites here. Like France, they've had a goalless draw with Colombia but otherwise won every game with ease. But Ukraine have emerged as a deserving 'best of the rest' with a serene run of their own. They also beat Germany in the group stage, albeit in a match that was more-or-less a dead rubber.
England have Sadio Mané back available, and he returns in place of Son Heung-Min. But they have the blow of a shoulder injury to Kevin de Bruyne. He would be fit for the final, but not here. Fernandinho is also unavailable, due to accumulation of yellows. The Man City pair are replaced by Fabinho and Bruno Fernandes. Ukraine, for their part, have Maycon out through suspension, but Taras Stepanenko returns so they swap. Sergiy Kryvtsov is also available again, and he replaces Mykola Matvienko.
Ukraine kick off, and soon after N'Golo Kanté wins the ball. England move it over to Mo Salah. He shakes off Ismaily, waits and curls a pass into the box. Kryvtsov can't reach it, but Mané can and he finishes it from a tight angle! 24 seconds and it's 1-0 to England!
England have started red-hot here. Aymeric Laporte goes close from a Fernandes free kick, and Ukraine don't heed the warning as Fernandes' next free kick finds Salah at the back post - and he is more ruthless than Laporte, heading in to make it two!
England turn down the heat a little after that, but are still in enough control to completely deny Ukraine a sniff of goal. They manage the lead to stay 2-0 ahead come the break.
They nearly repeat the trick of starting straight after the beginning of a half, as Salah heads Andy Robertson's laser-precise cross just over. Sergio Aguero, searching for the goal to take him clear in the race for the golden boot, is given a sight of goal following a dozy pass from Marlos, but his low shot is saved by Mykyta Shevchenko.
In the 65th minute Mané has a chance to run at Ukraine's defence. He leaves Dodo for dead, Kryvtsov comes in with a challenge but doesn't dispossess Mané, and the Senegalese winger strokes it past Shevchenko to add another!
They nearly repeat the trick of starting straight after the beginning of a half, as Salah heads Andy Robertson's laser-precise cross just over. Sergio Aguero, searching for the goal to take him clear in the race for the golden boot, is given a sight of goal following a dozy pass from Marlos, but his low shot is saved by Mykyta Shevchenko.
In the 65th minute Mané has a chance to run at Ukraine's defence. He leaves Dodo for dead, Kryvtsov comes in with a challenge but doesn't dispossess Mané, and the Senegalese winger strokes it past Shevchenko to add another!
Mané himself is now level with various other players on 5 goals, and is helped when the two others on the pitch - Aguero and Taison - are replaced as the game begins to wind down. Mané shows more skill in dribbling through Ukraine once again, this time playing it to Aguero's replacement Harry Kane, who has two close-range shots blocked.
In the final moments of the game another England sub, Bernardo Silva, picks up a throw in and drills a low cross right to Kane, who turns it up to wrap up a comprehensive victory.
Final score: England 4-0 Ukraine
Player of the match: Sadio Mané (ENG)
In the final moments of the game another England sub, Bernardo Silva, picks up a throw in and drills a low cross right to Kane, who turns it up to wrap up a comprehensive victory.
Final score: England 4-0 Ukraine
Player of the match: Sadio Mané (ENG)
This was clearly one step too far for Ukraine. England may have faced a relatively kind draw, but they have emphatically taken advantage of it, and they have reached their first ever DWC final!
Thanks to the efforts of Uruguay (2017), Brazil (2018) and Argentina (2020), this is going to be only the second time that the DWC final is contested between two of the big teams:
Germany and France played out a wonderful final in 2019, will we get the same again? You have to say that France and England have been the two stand-out sides for a couple of years now, winning the last three competitions between them (obviously not including the non-European continental championships). They have played the best in this tournament, and both come into the final on the back of a resounding semi final win.
When they faced each other in the European Championship it looked like England were set to win, only to fall apart - just as they did in the DWC semi final in 2019 against Germany. Can they hold it together? We will find out next time, as we have axed the third-place play-off and will go straight to the final!
When they faced each other in the European Championship it looked like England were set to win, only to fall apart - just as they did in the DWC semi final in 2019 against Germany. Can they hold it together? We will find out next time, as we have axed the third-place play-off and will go straight to the final!