The round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup was full of surprises. Canada, one of the three hosts, was eliminated from the tournament with a 3-0 defeat to Morocco's dream. Brazil was defeated by Norway with two goals from Erling Haaland and Neymar retired from the national team after 130 appearances. England, despite being reduced to 10 men, defeated the hosts Mexico 3-2 and advanced to the quarter-finals. Amidst all this, the three-star race for the Golden Boot reached its peak, with Mbappe leading the way with 7 goals and 2 assists. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed that this will be his last World Cup and Carlos Queiroz resigned after Ghana's elimination.
Publish dateMonday 6 July 2026 - 14:52
Story Code : 359872
Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Sports Service: The 2026 World Cup has reached one of its most eventful and unpredictable stages in recent days. The elimination of big teams and hosts, the farewell of legends like Neymar and Ronaldo, and the surprises of lesser-known teams have turned this tournament into one of the most memorable periods in history. Below, we have a review of the most important events of the round of 16 that determined the fate of the four teams advancing to the quarterfinals.
France overcomes Paraguay with Mbappe's penalty
Result: France 1 - 0 Paraguay
France defeated Paraguay with a single goal from Kylian Mbappe from the penalty spot and advanced to the quarterfinals.
Paraguay, who had eliminated Germany on penalties in the previous round, produced a defensive and physical display against France that drew a wave of criticism.
France legend Zinedine Zidane was highly critical of Paraguay's style of play after the match: "If I'm being honest, I was disappointed with the approach and the way Paraguay played. When a team advances to the last 16, it has to be ambitious and fight to win."
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart also called Paraguay's performance "a disgrace."
France will face Morocco in the quarter-finals.
Canada eliminated; first host to be eliminated from the 2026 World Cup
Result: Morocco 3-0 Canada
Canada, who entered the knockout stage as one of three World Cup hosts with hopes, lost 3-0 to Morocco in the first leg of the round of 16 and were eliminated from the competition.
Morocco maintained their 34-game unbeaten streak in all competitions with the win and advanced to the quarter-finals. Morocco will face France in the quarter-finals.
Brazil's elimination and Neymar's bitter farewell
Result: Norway 2-1 Brazil
Brazil were eliminated from the World Cup with a defeat to Norway, putting their dream of a sixth title at least 26 years old on hold. Erling Haaland played a key role in the historic victory with two goals and joined the Golden Boot leaders with seven goals.
At the end of the match, Neymar Jr., the captain and star of the Selecao, officially ended his career with the Brazilian national team. He has worn the Selecao shirt since 2010, surpassing Pele's record of 77 goals to become the all-time leading scorer for the Brazilian national team with 80 goals in 130 matches.
"I tried, I tried many times," said Neymar, who played a total of 36 minutes in the tournament and scored Brazil's only goal from the penalty spot, with tears in his eyes. "My journey with the national team began in this MetLife Stadium and now it ends here. It's time to say goodbye." With Brazil's elimination, it was the first time since 1990 that the Selecao failed to advance beyond the round of 16.
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