The World Cup in Russia shifts up another gear.

Pastry chef Rouchana Koukhtina

Is it about time for Brazil to really think that they have got the best chance to win a record-extending sixth Word Cup title in Russia?

Sweden fan Ragit Shaqiri found it difficult to celebrate his side's progression to a first World Cup quarter-final since 1994 with a victory over Switzerland on Tuesday, as his cousin Xherden Shaqiri played for the losing team.

France defender Adil Rami is revelling in his role as team joker even though he has had no playing time at the World Cup in Russia.

Former Brazil star forward Ronaldo says that he is impressed by France 19-year old sensation Kylian Mbappe and admits that he loves the way Mbappe plays.

Argentina icon Diego Maradona has called England’s win over Colombia in the last 16 of the World Cup as a ‘monumental theft’.

Edinson Cavani’s potential absence for Uruguay will be a severe blow to their hopes of beating France in the World Cup quarter-finals, according to his former team mate and French midfielder Blaise Matuidi.

England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford hits back at Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois following his World Cup penalty heroics against Colombia.

Brazil winger Neymar is a world class footballer who does not need to exaggerate when his is fouled because it does not earn him any sympathy with the fans, says former Germany captain and World Cup winner Lothar Matthaeus.

"Sweden are not playing the best football in the world, but to score against them is very difficult." says Eriksson.

French forward Antoine Griezmann has always been an admirer of Uruguayan culture and previously stated he is half Uruguayan. But Uruguay striker Luis Suarez do not think so, as he says that on a press conference.

Brazil are the favourites in what Belgium coach Roberto Martinez describes as a "dream match" for his players when the two countries meet in a World Cup quarter-final in Kazan on Friday.

The support of Russian fans may help the Russian national team in its 2018 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal clash against Croatia, Croatian goalkeeper Danijel Subasic says.

Gareth Southgate will never get over his own penalty miss 22 years ago but ensuring his young charges are not be daunted by history paid off when they finally laid England's World Cup shootout curse.

While some of their biggest rivals already fall by the wayside in Russia, Brazil make serene progress towards the latter stages of the World Cup.

England's young team shed the burden of history by giving the country a first World Cup penalty shootout triumph and the victory, after Colombia's stoppage-time equaliser, has seen them grow up and gain in belief, captain Harry Kane said.

Never mind that the Spartak Stadium seemed more like an outpost of Bogota for the duration of this match, the small patch of green in north-west Moscow will be forever England for the sliver of English fans who made it to this last-16 World Cup victory over Colombia.

Colombia's efforts to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the second straight time were hampered by refereeing interruptions and constant calls from England's players for fouls in the South Americans' last 16 loss on penalties, said coach Jose Pekerman.

The piercing sound of horns and cheers of Colombia's football fans fell silent after their World Cup dreams were shattered in a nail-biting last-16 loss on penalties to England on Tuesday.