FIFA World Cup 2022: Key players from each team in the quarter-finals 

The FIFA World Cup 2022 knockout stages are well and truly upon us, with eight teams having secured their place in the quarter-finals in Qatar.

France’s Kylian Mbappe leads the goalscoring charts with five goals in the tournament so far. But he isn’t the only superstar playing a key role in their nation’s drive towards World Cup glory.

From established stars such as Argentina’s Lionel Messi to Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazil’s Neymar to up-and-comers like England’s Jude Bellingham, Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo and Portugal’s Goncalo Ramos, find out which players look most likely to steal the spotlight in the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Croatia vs Brazil featuring Neymar, Richarlison, Modric and Kramaric

Brazil welcomed back their talisman Neymar to the starting eleven for their last 16 tie against Republic of Korea following his injury in their first match of the tournament. And the Paris Saint Germain forward didn’t disappoint, scoring the second goal of the 4-1 victory from the penalty spot.

Neymar now has 76 goals for Brazil putting him second in his country’s all-time goalscoring list, just one behind legend Pele. He remains a central figure for Brazil as they seek to bring home a record sixth World Cup.

However, Brazil’s new breed of young, fast-attacking players means they have the opportunity to score goals from all areas of the pitch. Striker Richarlison has now netted three goals this World Cup, while the rise of the rapid and skillful Vinicius Jr, Rafinha, Anthony, Rodrygo and Gabriel Martinelli mean the men in yellow and green have an embarrassment of riches in attack.

Croatia, for their part, can rely on the exceptional passing range of veteran Luka Modric, often said to be the greatest footballer the country has ever produced. But Modric will not be alone in his task of steering his country towards World Cup glory. Andrej Kramaric has already scored twice in this tournament and looks to be a constant threat going forward, while the likes of Ivan Perisic, Marcelo Brozovic and Dejan Lovren bring experience and talent to their lineup.

Netherlands vs Argentina featuring Lionel Messi, Cody Gakpo and more

In his fifth World Cup with Argentina, Lionel Messi looks to be in the form of his life. The 35-year-old has so often had the expectations of his country hanging on his shoulders, but after impressive performances in the group stage and last 16 match against Australia, could this be the year he leads his nation to World Cup glory?

Messi now has three goals to his name in Qatar, but will need the help of his teammates if he is to secure Argentina’s first World Cup victory since 1986.

Among those who have been on form for Argentina are Manchester City’s 22-year-old Julian Alvarez, who broke the deadlock in the last 16 match against Australia, and 21-year-old Benfica player Enzo Fernandez who found the net in their 2-0 victory over Mexico.

The Netherlands will be relying on the form and talents of Cody Gakpo, who has scored three goals in four outings in Qatar, as well as Barcelona striker Memphis Depay, who scored in the 3-1 round of 16 victory over the USA. His teammate Frenkie de Jong will also play a key role in pulling the strings in midfield as the Netherlands attempt to win to take their place in the World Cup semifinals.

Morocco vs Portugal featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Goncalo Ramos, Achraf Hakimi and Yassine Bounou

While all-time record international goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo is the star name in the Portugal squad, his absence from the starting lineup in the last 16 left space for another rapid striker to fire his way into the history books.

Goncalo Ramos became only the second Portuguese player in history to score a hattrick at a World Cup (after the great Eusebio) as Portugal trounced Switzerland 6-1 in the last 16. Another player who has had an exceptional season and a strong influence from the bench has been AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, who scored a stunner against the Swiss to add to his group-stage goal against Ghana. Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes is also on form, registering both goals in the 2-0 victory over Uruguay.

Morocco are the surprise package of the quarterfinals, having delivered a historic penalties victory over Spain in the round of 16. The scorer of the final spot kick was Achraf Hakimi, with the Paris Saint Germain player enjoying an excellent World Cup so far. Sofiane Boufal is another player to look out for against Portugal, after the winger played exceptionally in his nation’s matchup against Spain. And don’t forget penalty shootout hero Yassine Bounou who saved two penalties against Spain to send Morocco into the quarterfinals for the first time in their history.

England vs France featuring Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane

In one of the most highly anticipated matchups of the quarterfinals, defending champions France take on a free-scoring England team in the quarterfinals.

Kylian Mbappe leads the goalscoring charts at the World Cup with five, including a stunning double in France’s last 16 tie with Poland, in which Les Bleus ran out 3-1 winners. Joining him in attack is France’s record goalscorer Olivier Giroud, who has scored three times during this World Cup campaign and will be eager to add to his tally during the quarter-finals.

France may well be without stars such as Karim Benzema, Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante in Qatar, but they have still managed to shine, with players such as Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele and Adrien Rabiot all enjoying stellar campaigns to date.

England have also been in excellent form at this year’s World Cup, scoring a record 12 goals so far - the most out of any World Cup campaign in their history.

While the likes of Harry Kane have traditionally been their main goalscoring threats, they have two players on three goals this tournament: Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford. Added to that the threat of Borussia Dortmund's midfield dynamo Jude Bellingham and Manchester City’s skillful attacker Phil Foden and the Three Lions have the talent to pose a strong threat against France.