The first set of quarterfinal matches took place on Friday, and we got one result we expected — France taking care of business against a shorthanded Uruguay side, winning 2-0 — and one we did not — Belgium stunning Brazil in a 2-1 win.
All 5 goals from France vs. Uruguay and Brazil vs. Belgium, ranked
The goals of the first round of quarterfinal matches, ranked.
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
We also got goals. Five beautiful goals. Let’s rank them.
5. Own goal by Fernandinho
Own Goal is the best player at the 2018 World Cup, though we do not celebrate own goals in these rankings. I will say that near post run from Vincent Kompany was excellent, and put Fernandinho in an impossible situation where the only thing he could do was put the ball into his own net.
4. Griezmann given gift by Muslera
This was an absolutely gorgeous counter-attack which showed off the brilliance of Paul Pogba, and it was a great shot from Antoine Griezmann, though it did go right at Uruguayan keeper Fernando Muslera. Muslera made sure the goal worked anyway, by bungling the shot into his own net. It’s too bad, because that goal should be celebrated, and too many people will just say it only came as a result of Muslera messing up. Which it kinda did. But still.
3. Varane’s glancing header
The hesitation from Antoine Griezmann, and then the placement of the ball onto the head of Rafael Varane, is a thing of absolute beauty. The center back gets the lightest of touches on the ball, just enough to direct it exactly where it needs to go in the back of the net. Uruguay pride themselves on their set piece defending, but I’m not sure how you defend against that.
2. Renato Augusto’s glancing header
This was everything that was wonderful about the Varane goal, it just took place in open play and not from a set piece, so I give it a slight bump up for that. Look at that ball from Coutinho, and look at how Augusto, with maybe his first touch since coming on as a sub, delicately guiding the ball home.
1. The De Bruyne rocket
This goal was so good I wrote an article about it. But man, Romelu Lukaku gathering the ball in his own end, dribbling it about 40 yards, then finding the perfect pass to Kevin De Bruyne, who then hits the ball about as perfectly as you can hit it into the side netting? I’ll take all of that you got.
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