FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina defended the officiating in Argentina's 3-2 victory over Egypt in the World Cup round of 16, dismissing allegations of bias and saying match officials operated with complete independence.

A chance for revenge, compelling man-to-man duels, and a battle between attacking fluency and tactical composure -- all are set to unfold at Boston Stadium when tournament favourites France take on a Moroccan side that have steadily established themselves as one of world football's genuine powerhouses.

With the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals set to get underway tonight, the disciplinary records of the eight remaining teams have revealed a striking contrast, with England emerging as the tournament's most heavily sanctioned side while Norway have picked up the fewest cards.

England's Morgan Rogers backed Harry Kane to come out on top when he faces Norway's Erling Haaland in an enticing battle between the World Cup sharpshooters on Sunday.

France have dethroned defending champions Argentina to reclaim top spot in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking ahead of the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

Morocco will not be wasting time on premature praise for their World Cup run ahead of their quarter-final against France, with any stock-taking to be done at the end of the competition, coach Mohamed Ouahbi said on Thursday.

Argentina returned to the training ground on Thursday with renewed confidence after their dramatic comeback victory over Egypt in the Round of 16, as Lionel Scaloni's side shifted focus to Sunday's FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal against Switzerland [7am, Bangladesh Time].

Morocco was under French protectorate from 1912 to 1956. The two countries have remained closely connected through education, business and migration, while football has become one of the clearest expressions of those ties.

"Everyone is 100 percent fit except Saibari. This game comes too soon for him but I hope he is not out for the rest of the competition," Ouahbi told reporters ahead of Thursday's last-eight showdown at the Gillette Stadium near Boston.

Mbappe may command the cameras, but the tactical blueprint of this quarterfinal will be drawn in the dirt by Olise and Bouaddi.

As for France’s appeal to have Michael Olise’s yellow card against Paraguay rescinded, Deschamps said FIFA had informed them that the caution would stand.

Atlanta may ultimately be remembered as the night when the law prevailed. Whether it has  prevailed equally for everyone is the question this World Cup cannot yet answer.

For Argentina, it is becoming inevitable. Messi happened when the World Cup dream was on the brink of ending for the defending champions.

The FBI has not publicly commented on the reported investigation, and no formal charges related to the alleged money laundering have been announced.

Before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, European heavyweights France and Spain were widely regarded as the leading contenders for the title, thanks to the remarkable depth and quality of their squads as well as their recent form.

While debates over individual calls are likely to continue, experts believe VAR has already become an important part of modern football despite its ongoing limitations.

"After the 2-0, I felt like I couldn't help anyone, and I don't like that feeling," Martinez told reporters. "I think my time will come. I need to help them a lot more. They're saving me in several games, and it's my turn to do it."

Croatia's most successful football coach, Zlatko Dalic, resigned on Wednesday, ending a tenure that included taking the team to the 2018 World Cup final.

The day I finally saw Cristiano Ronaldo live, it was his last match in a Portugal shirt at the World Cup -- against Spain in a Round of 16 clash in Dallas last Monday.

For the first time since their title-winning run in 2010, Spain are back in the World Cup quarter-finals. And once again, they are doing it with the kind of defensive steel that once carried them to football’s summit.