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"It will come down to the finest of margins," Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui mused when asked to predict a winner for the 2026 World Cup, "the bounce of the ball."
Soccer is unpredictable by its very nature. A sport played with a round ball and the blunt instrument of the human foot is inherently at the mercy of fortune's whims.
This year's quarterfinals neatly pits four former World Cup champions against four nations chasing their first global title. There should be a clear favorite in each matchup, but this tournament has already demonstrated how fragile preconceived notions of international hierarchy can be in this wonderfully unpredictable sport.
Keep all of that in mind as you read through Sports Illustrated's best attempts at predicting each World Cup quarterfinal.
France vs. Morocco
For all the strengths of this evolved Morocco side, this exceptional France team simply looks destined for another deep run into the final. —James Cormack
Mohamed Ouahbi's preference for energetic, pressing soccer has lifted Morocco into the ranks of the world's elite. It's just that France is probably the best team in the world. —Andrew Headspeath
A rematch of the 2022 World Cup semifinal promises fireworks. Morocco, as we've witnessed on multiple occasions, will meet aggression with aggression under the more progressive Ouahbi, but France's wealth of attacking talent should ultimately prevail. —Ewan Ross-Murray
It's hard to look beyond a France side that boasts a near-impenetrable defense and world-class options across the entire attacking line. —Jamie Spencer
Moroccan supporters could be forgiven for echoing Erling Haaland's sentiments before Norway's group stage clash with Les Bleus: "They're probably going to beat us, they're probably going to win the whole thing." —Grey Whitebloom
Spain vs. Belgium
Mikel Merino's injury-time winner against Portugal underscored Spain's remarkable squad depth, and they appear to be on a collision course with France in the semifinals. —J.C.
For Belgium, even another FIFA intervention probably wouldn't provide the level of motivation required to pull off a victory here. —A.H.
It's something of a miracle Belgium has progressed this far. Spain hasn't yet reached the heights of their European Championship-winning form, but La Roja should still advance to the semifinal with relative ease. —E.R.M.
A lopsided victory over the USMNT doesn't disguise the fact that this Belgium side is a shadow of the nation's 2018 peak. —J.S.
Spain has conceded just five shots on target throughout the entire tournament. Belgium will do well to even trouble Unai Simon. —G.W.
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Norway vs. England
The combined force of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham outweighs the individual brilliance of Erling Haaland. —J.C.
Clean sheets look virtually impossible in this one, so it will ultimately come down to who carries the greater firepower. England's stronger support system around its star striker and Thomas Tuchel's tactical intelligence may prove to be the decisive factor. —A.H.
When not faced with stubborn defensive setups, England has delivered two high-scoring thrillers against Croatia and Mexico. More of that chaos looks inevitable when pitted against Haaland and company, who are riding a wave of momentum after eliminating Brazil. —E.R.M.
The fact that England might have preferred to face Brazil speaks volumes about what Norway brings to the table in 2026. Still, there are goals to be had against a side yet to keep a clean sheet, and Harry Kane has a Golden Boot of his own to chase. —J.S.
Haaland put Norway's chances of winning the World Cup at "0.5%" last summer. The odds of beating England are considerably higher, but an upset would still be a major shock. —G.W.
Argentina vs. Switzerland
The world champions defy all logic and reason. Argentina sacrifice width and thrive in disorder, leaning on the brilliance of Lionel Messi. Switzerland, by contrast, offer a reassuring predictability. You know exactly what they are — and they are not World Cup semifinalists. —J.C.
Is Argentina inevitable or on the verge of collapse? Nobody seems to know anymore. Lionel Scaloni's side remains the heavy favorite to advance, but taking the straightforward path doesn't appear to be La Albiceleste's style. —A.H.
This clearly isn't the same Argentina that lifted the 2022 World Cup trophy — despite fielding a near-identical squad — but their collective spirit and sheer determination should be enough to see them through. —E.R.M.
A relatively favorable run of opponents hasn't actually worked in Argentina's favor at this World Cup. Switzerland is functional, well-organized and, provided they don't repeat the wastefulness of the group stage, could finally do what others have failed to. —J.S.
Argentina appears destined for the semifinals. Though, if you were to ask Egypt, that would have been the case no matter who stood in their way. —G.W.