Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli sprung a surprise when he dropps striker Gonzalo Higuain and replaces him with midfielder Cristian Pavon for the blockbuster World Cup round of 16 clash against France

The Group A champions Uruguay face Group B runners-up Portugal in the round of 16 of World Cup 2018 to battle it out for a Quarter Final spot in the tournament at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi today. The match will begin at 12:00 am in Bangladesh time. Let’s look at some of the statistics ahead of the feisty encounter.

France and Argentina meet in the first match of the round of 16 of the World Cup 2018 at the Kazan Arena today. The match will start at 8:00 pm in Bangladesh time. Here we look at some statistics ahead of the thrilling encounter.

France will take on Argentina in the opening round of 16 clash today well aware of their own shortcomings, but also with the assurance that they have all the tools in their arsenal that they need to see off their South American opponents.

The World Cup's tryst with Telstar 18 came to an end Thursday night. The high-tech official football, made by Adidas, proved to be quite exciting as it produced goals in all but one of the 44 matches played with it.

The World Cup is going to get cruel from today when Argentina take on France in the first of the eight round of 16 games at the Kazan Arena.

The group stages of the World Cup are finally done with and while teams such as England, Spain and France will now be turning their attention to adding a second star and denying Uruguay or Argentina a third or even Brazil their record sixth, there will be a few that will quietly be hoping to add a maiden World Cup trophy to their cabinet.

Heartbroken and humiliated, Germany will be haunted by South Korea for years.

The makeshift media centre inside the vast Spartak Stadium could barely accommodate the huge influx of travelling journalists ahead of Brazil's Group E fixture against Serbia in the World Cup on Wednesday. With a capacity of just over 500, by all means it registers as a standard media centre with all the required facilities.

A brilliant strike by Adnan Januzaj lit up an otherwise insipid clash as Belgium beat England 1-0 to secure top spot in World Cup Group G in Kaliningrad yesterday.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could face off in the quarterfinal stage of the World Cup given both Argentina and Portugal defeat Round of 16 opponents France and Uruguay respectively.

Brazil's star man at this World Cup was supposed to be Neymar but three games into the tournament it is Philippe Coutinho who is taking the plaudits and the Barcelona player was again prominent in Wednesday's 2-0 win over Serbia.

Did Argentina’s estranged coach Jorge Sampaoli ask captain Lionel Messi whether to bring on Sergio Aguero during the must-win match against Nigeria?

They were one of the three suspect heavyweights going into the final matchday of the group stages, but five-time champions Brazil moved to the round of 16 with flying colours, defeating Serbia 2-0 at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow yesterday.

Strikes from Paulinho and Thiago SIlva ensure Brazil's qualification to the last 16 as they romp to a 2-0 win over Serbia in their 2018 World Cup match to top Group E.

Eyes all over the globe are glued to television sets and online streams with the World Cup in full swing, but for those ardent fans who follow their club teams round the season year after year, there is a special meaning to every match and performance in Russia.

Lionel Messi lives on in the World Cup, at least for another match in Russia.

A relieved Lionel Messi admitts the stress at the prospect of crashing out of the World Cup at the group stages is the worst he had ever experienced after Marcus Rojo's late strike beat Nigeria 2-1 to send Argentina into the last 16.

Diego Maradona roared and gesticulated through every anguished second of Argentina's rollercoaster World Cup victory over Nigeria on Tuesday before triggering alarm with a health scare after the final whistle.

Winners won matches and losers the hearts in the early hours Tuesday.