If it wasn’t obvious before, Spain’s demolition of Austria showed that not everyone at this summer’s tournament is playing the same game.
Luis de la Fuente’s men, along with France and Argentina, can certainly consider themselves first among equals, even if the 3-0 win was their first World Cup knockout stage since 2010.
Would England deserve to join that illustrious company. As it is, facing a trip to Mexico City in the last 16, manager Thomas Tuchel is already looking for his prayer beads.
Portugal, meanwhile, need to take Croatia as mercilessly as their neighbors dealt with Austria to be named in the same breath as the best team, with the game starting at 7am, and Switzerland and Algeria starting at 11am.
There are still three matches in the round of 32 to come after that, with Argentina taking on everyone’s favorite underdog Cabo Verde on Friday, but until then, here’s what happened while you slept.
