Football Fever Cup Edition: 40 gone, just eight left

We're into the business end.

Here is our quarterfinal lineup.

Friday morning, 8 o'clock, this is New Zealand Times, France, Morocco and Boston.

Saturday, 7 o'clock, Spain, Belgium and LA.

Sunday, 9 o'clock, that's AM, England, Norway, Miami.

And Sunday afternoon at 1, Argentina against Switzerland in Kansas City.

For the first time in any edition of the World Cup, we don't have Germany or Brazil.

in the quarterfinals.

There were no quarterfinals in some editions, 1930, 1950, 1974, 78, 82.

It was a different format.

But for every World Cup that's had quarterfinals, this is the first time we haven't got Germany or Brazil.

Two World Cup heavyweights, really, BV.

Wow, that's an incredible stat.

And obviously, Germany haven't been near the last couple of World Cups as well since winning it in 2014.

To me, no surprise that Brazil aren't there either.

I know last time we spoke, we spoke after Germany's opening 7-1 win.

We couldn't really judge too much from that.

And their shortcomings, which they've had in previous World Cups, were showing up again.

And Brazil, I expected them to go out in the round of 32.

They went out in the round of 16.

It's not a great Brazilian side, especially in their midfield.

They still have outstanding players, but they don't have the real quality to beat the top teams, in my opinion.

So we look at it, and the top four sides in the FIFA rankings, France, who are top, Argentina two, Spain three, England four, are all still there.

And in fact, all could go through to the semis.

We also have the number six and eight sides in the quarters.

We're into the business end.

Here is our quarterfinal lineup.

Friday morning, 8 o'clock, this is New Zealand Times, France, Morocco and Boston.

Saturday, 7 o'clock, Spain, Belgium and LA.

Sunday, 9 o'clock, that's AM, England, Norway, Miami.

And Sunday afternoon at 1, Argentina against Switzerland in Kansas City.

For the first time in any edition of the World Cup, we don't have Germany or Brazil.

in the quarterfinals.

There were no quarterfinals in some editions, 1930, 1950, 1974, 78, 82.

It was a different format.

But for every World Cup that's had quarterfinals, this is the first time we haven't got Germany or Brazil.

Two World Cup heavyweights, really, BV.

Wow, that's an incredible stat.

And obviously, Germany haven't been near the last couple of World Cups as well since winning it in 2014.

To me, no surprise that Brazil aren't there either.

I know last time we spoke, we spoke after Germany's opening 7-1 win.

We couldn't really judge too much from that.

And their shortcomings, which they've had in previous World Cups, were showing up again.

And Brazil, I expected them to go out in the round of 32.

They went out in the round of 16.

It's not a great Brazilian side, especially in their midfield.

They still have outstanding players, but they don't have the real quality to beat the top teams, in my opinion.

So we look at it, and the top four sides in the FIFA rankings, France, who are top, Argentina two, Spain three, England four, are all still there.

And in fact, all could go through to the semis.

We also have the number six and eight sides in the quarters.