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With the round of 16 now just around the corner, the 2026 World Cup is beginning to distinguish genuine title challengers from the rest of the pack.

Switzerland continued their impressive campaign with a 2-0 victory over Algeria, thanks to goals from Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye on either side of half-time.

Portugal, meanwhile, produced a sensational comeback to defeat Croatia 2-1 in a thrilling last-32 encounter at Toronto’s BMO Field, overturning a deficit that had emerged shortly after the break.

Ivan Perisic, the PSV Eindhoven winger, opened the scoring in the 53rd minute to give Zlatko Dalic’s men hope of advancing from the first World Cup knockout round for the third tournament running.

However, Portugal’s talisman Cristiano Ronaldo equalised from the penalty spot in the 68th minute, just moments after seeing a goal ruled out for a narrow offside.

When extra time seemed inevitable, substitute Goncalo Ramos rose to head home Rafael Leao’s cross and complete the turnaround, sending Portugal into the next round.

Ronaldo’s pursuit of the one major trophy missing from his illustrious career remains alive, while Luka Modric’s final appearance for Croatia likely marks the end of a golden era for his national side.

Croatia saw three second-half goals disallowed, including Josko Guardiol’s would-be equaliser in the 113th minute, as VAR decisions went Portugal’s way. The result sets up a tantalising all-Iberian last-16 clash between Portugal and Spain.

Mikel Oyarzabal has been in outstanding form at this World Cup. After registering two goals and an assist in the group stage, the Real Sociedad forward played a starring role in Spain’s commanding 3-0 win over Austria in the first knockout round.

Oyarzabal’s brace set the tone for La Furia Roja, with Pedro Porro adding his first goal for the national team. Spain’s defence continues to impress, as they have yet to concede a single goal in the tournament – a worrying sign for any upcoming opponent.

Although Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal was named man of the match, Oyarzabal’s influence overshadowed even his brilliance. The Spanish star has now contributed to 24 goals in his last 16 international appearances, cementing his place as the driving force behind Spain’s title ambitions.

The reigning European champions once again demonstrated their dominance, reminding everyone that while France may be the bookies’ favourites, La Furia Roja could be their biggest hurdle on the road to glory.

If results continue as expected, a semi-final encounter between Spain and France in Dallas, Texas, could become one of the tournament’s defining fixtures.

Austria, making their first knockout appearance since 1954, struggled to make an impact and failed to register a single shot on target against Spain’s relentless control.

On the other end of the spectrum, Cape Verde have captured global admiration. In their debut World Cup campaign, Bubista’s side defied expectations by advancing from Group H ahead of Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, despite not winning a single match.

After drawing all three group games – including a goalless draw against Spain in their opener – Cape Verde became the first team since Chile in 1998 to reach the knockout stage without a win, and the first debutants since Slovakia in 2010 to progress beyond the group phase.

As the lowest-ranked team ever to reach the knockout stage in their first World Cup, Cape Verde now face the daunting task of taking on defending champions Argentina.

Argentina have been ruthless against African opposition, winning their last seven such World Cup matches. With Lionel Messi in dazzling form, another upset looks unlikely.

Level with Kylian Mbappe on six goals, the 39-year-old Argentine icon will be eager to extend his tally and move closer to the Golden Boot. Messi was responsible for six of Argentina’s eight goals in Group J, with Austria, Algeria, and Jordan all failing to contain him.

To stop the World Cup’s all-time top scorer, 40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha will need the performance of his lifetime.

Messi’s brilliance has lit up the United States this summer, and a return to familiar surroundings in Miami could provide the perfect backdrop for another vintage display. His stunning free-kick against Jordan made him the first player in World Cup history to score in seven consecutive matches, further enhancing his legacy.

As Argentina look poised to go deep into the tournament, Messi’s sights will surely be set on joining Just Fontaine, Sandor Kocsis, and Gerd Muller as the only players to score double digits at a single World Cup. The big question now is – can Vozinha find a way to stop him?