knockout stage: which teams will qualify?

The World Cup in Qatar is nearing its knockout phase. Below is an overview of the first teams qualified:

BRAZIL

Brazil qualified for the knockout stage after back-to-back wins against Switzerland and Serbia and currently leading Group G before their last match against Cameroon.

The Selecao have claimed the World Cup five times and are pre-tournament favorites to win a record-extending sixth title.

Brazil has played in every World Cup since 1930 but has not reached the final since they last won the title in 2002.

Group performance:

Brazil 2-0 Serbia

Brazil 1-0 Switzerland

Cameroon v Brazil (Friday 1900 GMT)

William Hill's odds to win the tournament: 5-2

ENGLAND

England punched their ticket to the knockout phase as top of Group B with 7 points, following emphatic victorys against Wales and Iran and a goalless draw with the United States.

The Three Lions, who reached the Euro 2020 final last year, is slated to face Group A runners-up Senegal on Sunday.

England's only World Cup win dates back to 1966.

They finished fourth overall in 2018.

Group performance:

England 6-2 Iran

England 0-0 United States

Wales 0-3 England

William Hill's odds to win the tournament: 15-2

William Hill's odds to win against Senegal: 1-2

FRANCE Another favorite to win the tournament, reigning champions France delivered on expectations and became the first team to qualify for the Round of 16 with consecutive wins against Australia and Denmark.

Led by AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud - who tied Thierry Henry as the top scorer for the national side at 51 international goals

- Les Blues are currently top of Group D, set to play their third match against last in the table Tunisia.

France has won the World Cup twice, in 1998 and 2018.

Group performance:

France 4-1 Australia

France 2-1 Denmark

William Hill's odds to win the tournament: 11-2

The Netherlands secured a place in the Round of 16 with victories over African champions Senegal and hosts Qatar, topping Group A despite a 1-1 draw with Ecuador.

The Dutch - unbeaten in the last 18 games after their elimination at Euro 2020 - will face the United States on Saturday.

The Netherlands has been runners up at three World Cups in 1974, 1978, and 2010.

This year marks their return to the international stage after they failed to qualify in 2018.

Group performance:

Senegal 0-2 Netherlands

Netherlands 1-1 Ecuador

Netherlands 2-0 Qatar

William Hill's odds to win the tournament: 14-1

William Hill's odds to win against United States:10-11 PORTUGAL

Following a second-half brace from Bruno Fernandes, Portugal clinched qualification with a 2-0 victory over Uruguay, after losing to the South American team in the Round of 16 in 2018.

Portugal's best World Cup result is a third place back in 1966.

Most recently, the side won the Euro 2016 in France.

Currently a free agent due to a bitter divorce from Manchester United, captain Cristiano Ronaldo became the first male player to score at least one goal in five different World Cups after netting a penalty in the opening match against Ghana.

Group performance:

Portugal 3-2 Ghana

Portugal 2-0 Uruguay

South Korea v Portugal (Friday 1500 GMT)

William Hill's odds to win the tournament: 11-1

With a decisive 2-1 victory over Ecuador, Senegal qualified for the Round of 16 and will face England on Sunday.

The reigning African Champions started the World Cup with a loss to the Netherlands but were able to turn their fortune with a 3-1 win over hosts Qatar.

This is the third appearance at the World Cup for Senegal, who reached the quarter-finals in 2002.

Group performance: Senegal 0-2 Netherlands

Qatar 1-3 Senegal

Ecuador 1-2 Senegal

William Hill's odds to win the tournament: 100- 1

William Hill's odds to win against England: 13-2

The United States qualified into the last 16 by beating Iran 1-0, closing second in Group B with 5 points after two draws with Wales and England.

They will meet the Netherlands in the first match of the knockout stage on Saturday.

The U.S. national team has taken part in 11 World Cups, and never topped their third-place finish of 1930.

Group performance: United States 1-1 Wales England 0-0 United States Iran 0-1 United States William Hill odds to win tournament: 100-1 William Hill odds to win against Netherlands: 10-3

Rumors of Belgium's demise are greatly exaggerated, Croatia's head coach Zlatko Dalic said as he prepares his side for Thursday's decisive Group F showdown.

Croatia, who beat Belgium in the 2018 semi-finals, need just a point to guarantee progress to the last 16 while FIFA second-ranked side Belgium almost certainly needs to win.

A shock 2-0 defeat by Morocco on Sunday was followed by talk of rifts in the Belgium camp, with playmaker Kevin de Bruyne and defender Jan Vertonghen reportedly at loggerheads.

De Bruyne was also reported to have said that Belgium's so-called Golden Generation is now too old to win the World Cup, but Dalic was having none of it when asked on Wednesday.

"We are playing against the second-best football team in the world and they were number one," he told reporters. "They are a great team and if we could choose we would not have selected this match to be the decisive one. "We will not fool ourselves by their under-performance in the last two games."

Croatia drew with Tunisia in their opener but hit top form in a 4-1 defeat of Canada, leaving them in good shape going in to the clash at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. Dalic has ruled out any notion that Croatia would be happy to play for a draw. "We will play as we did against Canada, high quality, high tempo. It's going to be a difficult game," he said.

"Belgium are a top team, they have De Bruyne and Hazard and we will not be fooled by media stories and some rumors. We are expecting the best of Belgium, a top-notch national team. "They haven't become a bad football player overnight. I am not focussed on any other aspects, we are just focussed on their strength and quality." Belgium has so far been without their powerhouse striker Romelu Lukaku but he is expected to be back on Thursday which could spell bad news for Croatia's defense. "We are preparing for him to start and that changes the Belgium game," Dalic said.