It’s almost crunch time at the World Cup.
The last month has seen plenty of action – thrilling goals, tight races, and red cards being flashed have all added to the spectacle of the stateside tournament.
As the pressure builds and we gear up for the final few days of play across the pond, let’s take a look at the top players of the quarter-finals, according to Sofascore…
GK: Thibaut Courtois (Belgium) – 8.1
This quarter-final marked Thibaut Courtois’ 21st World Cup match appearance, and it was a bit of a heartbreaker for the Belgian side.
The Real Madrid goalkeeper had been playing to his usual high standard, keeping Belgium alive with a series of important saves, but on the 71st minute, he went down with an apparent injury and was forced to come off.
Thibaut Courtois was in tears after his World Cup was ended by injury and defeat by Spain
The 34-year-old was in tears as he came off the pitch in what could very well be his last World Cup appearance.
To rub salt in the wound, his replacement, Senne Lammens, couldn’t stop the opposing side from scoring, leaving many to wonder whether Courtois’ absence was the deciding factor in the loss.
RB: Julian Ryerson (Norway) – 7.1
Norway suffered a double setback in the second half of their quarter-final, with Ryerson forced off due to injury shortly after seeing a promising attacking moment ruled out by VAR.
Although Ryerson’s run ended in tears, he was a force to be reckoned with, boasting a 92% pass accuracy and four clearances and tackles, proving to be a significant obstacle for England’s offensive campaign.
He had a good impact on the attack, too, with a cool three crosses putting pressure on the Three Lions’ defence.
Ryerson’s club, Borussia Dortmund, will be crossing their fingers that the injury that forced their player off won’t keep him out for long.
Julian Ryerson was a force to be reckoned with as Norway took England to extra time
Dayot Upamecano produced a commanding defensive display as France saw off Morocco
CB: Dayot Upamecano (France) – 7.2
France’s march into yet another World Cup semi-final was built on far more than Mbappe and Dembele, as Dayot Upamecano’s performance proved.
Upamecano produced a commanding defensive display that allowed Didier Deschamps’ side to take complete control against Morocco. The centre-back set the tone long before France found their breakthrough.
Strong in tackles and dominant in the air, Upamecano snuffed out Moroccan attacks before they could gather momentum and repeatedly disrupted dangerous advances.
Each interception seemed to sap a little more belief from a Moroccan side searching for another famous upset in their solid World Cup campaign.
While France’s lineup boasts a star-studded attack of big names that grab the headlines, their route to the last four has been underpinned by a defence that has given opponents next to no wriggle room.
CB: Lisandro Martinez (Argentina) – 7.4
Lisandro Martinez underlined why Lionel Scaloni trusts him on the big stage
Lisandro Martinez responded with a steady hand (or foot) to the pressure cooker created by Switzerland in Kansas City.
After making his mark early in the round-of-32 against Cape Verde, the Manchester United centre-back delivered another display that underlined why Lionel Scaloni trusts him on the big stage.
‘The butcher’ was at the heart of Argentina’s resistance throughout 120 long minutes. Even with Argentina chasing a winner before the 90-minute mark, the defender almost became an unlikely hero when his goal-bound effort from a corner was blocked.
The Argentine side found their rhythm in extra time, breaking through the Swiss defence. While Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez handled things on the other end, Lisandro ensured there would be no room for penalties, booking a semi-final with England.
LB: Djed Spence (England) – 7.8
Djed Spence wreaked havoc against Norway during the nerve-shredding extra time
After a rocky start to the knockouts with a patchy performance against DR Congo and spending only 16 minutes on the pitch at the Azteca, Djed Spence has found his groove. Just in time, too.
The Tottenham Hotspur defender’s appearance on the team of the week is made more impressive by the fact that he only came off the bench on 85 minutes, ultimately playing for a total 34 minutes in this match.
He wreaked havoc against Norway during the nerve-shredding extra time and facilitated two goal opportunities, contributed two tackles, and an interception during his short-but-sweet stint in the quarter-final. Welcome to the team, Djed.
CDM: Rodri (Spain) – 7.6
Rodri dictated the rhythm of the match as Spain proved too much for Belgium in Los Angeles
Rodri’s control of the midfield was the defining factor in Spain’s quarter-final victory over Belgium as he dictated the rhythm of the match, ensuring Luis de la Fuente’s side were always one step ahead.
The Spaniard played a crucial role in the build-up to Spain’s opening goal, providing the platform from which they could unlock the Belgian defence.
His influence has not come through direct goal contributions, but rather a 94% pass accuracy and one commanding display after another. Rodri laid the foundation for the first goal and provided consistency in the midfield throughout.
His place in Sofascore’s team of the week clearly shows that controlling a World Cup match from the midfield can be just as valuable as deciding one in the net.
RM: Ousmane Dembele (France) – 9.0
Ousmane Dembele secured France’s win over Morocco by doubling the team’s lead
France owed their second goal of the quarter-final to Dembele, who is nipping at Messi’s heels this week at only 0.1 points behind him by Sofascore’s count.
Dembele secured France’s win over Morocco by doubling the team’s lead in the match and showing (in case anyone didn’t already know) the dominance of the French attacking players.
The PSG player has proved himself to be up there with the best, winning the Ballon d’Or in 2025 after a sensational season with the French club.
He is a force to be reckoned with, and will no doubt bring his quality contributions into the semi-final against Spain.
CAM: Jude Bellingham (England) – 8.4
Jude Bellingham’s brace against Norway took his tournamet tally up to six goals in total
Sick of hearing ‘Hey Jude’ yet?
If you are, too bad. Bellingham doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. The tense matchup between England and Norway ended in a 2-1 victory, with Bellingham scoring the double for the second match in a row.
The quarter-final was set to be a battle of the strikers, with hopes riding on Kane and Haaland’s shoulders, but Bellingham was the one who prevailed in the stifling Miami heat, earning his serenade that was heard in pubs across the nation.
We can credit England’s No 10 for sparing us from the tension of a penalty shootout, as his second goal came in extra-time to pull the team ahead of Norway and secure a spot in the semi-final against Argentina.
That brings him up to six goals total in the tournament so far, level with Harry Kane. Get your Beatles playlist ready for Wednesday.
LM: Andreas Schjelderup (Norway) – 8.1
While all eyes were on Erling Haaland against England, Andreas Schjelderup turned the table
While all eyes were on Erling Haaland to dash England’s dreams, Andreas Schjelderup turned the tables to score his first international goal.
The 22-year-old was responsible for a lot of English stress on Saturday night, to his credit. His goal in the 36th minute gave Norway an early lead, and until Jude Bellingham’s equaliser on the stroke of half time, England fans were holding their breath.
The Benfica midfielder came out of nowhere to put Norway ahead, and his goal was the only ball the Vikings managed to get past Pickford during the match.
Despite the eventual loss, Schjelderup can celebrate his first international goal after 17 appearances and being part of Norway’s first World Cup squad since 1998. Not a bad result, all things considered.
CF: Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 9.1
Lionel Messi continues to make the extraordinary look routine and provided another assist
The man who needs no introduction – but we’ll give him one anyway.
At 39 years old, playing in a remarkable sixth World Cup, Lionel Messi continues to make the extraordinary look routine. Four years on from finally lifting football’s biggest prize, Argentina’s captain is once again leading the reigning champions towards the finish line.
Messi was at the heart of everything against Switzerland. His corner kick enabled Alexis Mac Allister to open the scoring after just ten minutes, taking his tally to 10 assists at World Cups.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner now stands alone as Sofascore’s highest-rated player of the tournament so far, and is the only man to have been named in the Team of the Week in each of the knockout rounds.
Retirement still feels a long way off, particularly based on this recent display. He looks as influential as ever – and England will know better than anyone that stopping him on Wednesday could mean the difference between reaching the World Cup final under the lights in New York or watching Argentina do it again.
CF: Kylian Mbappe (France) – 7.7
Kylian Mbappe went level with Messi at the top of the Golden Boot race, with eight goals so far
Mbappe joins team-mate Dembele in the team of the week, having played a match that saw him level with Messi at the top of the Golden Boot race, with eight goals so far in the tournament.
Despite missing a penalty in the first half of the quarter-final match up against Morocco, Mbappe secured a goal at minute 60, bringing his World Cup career total up to 20.
Roy Keane, speaking on ITV, summarised Mbappe’s performance on the pitch in a nutshell, saying: ‘What these great players do is they dictate. When they do get too close, he’ll do a trick and the type of goals he is getting this tournament – players are frightened to death.’
We’ll have to see if the Spanish can be brave in the semi-finals and keep Mbappe from continuing his streak on Tuesday when he plays in Dallas.
