Argentina players came off the pitch on Saturday elated and relieved to have made it to the World Cup quarter-finals after Lionel Messi set them on their way to a 2-1 win but Australia stormed back in the final minutes for a thrilling end.

World Cup host nation Qatar showed its support for Pele on Saturday, lighting up buildings with a "Get well soon" message for the Brazil football great.

Argentina replaced striker Angel Di Maria with Alejandro Gomez alongside Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez in attack against Australia in Saturday's World Cup last 16 clash.

Four years ago Africa was left without a representative in the World Cup last 16 for the first time since the round was introduced in 1986, but the response has been emphatic in Qatar.

Lionel Messi produced a moment of trademark quality to score the opener in a 2-1 win over Australia and send Argentina into the quarterfinals of the World Cup on Saturday.

Japan have already scripted one of the best stories of the World Cup with comeback victories over former champions Germany and Spain but Takuma Asano says they have not achieved anything yet.

Netherlands defender Denzel Dumfries set up their first two goals and netted a decisive third to ensure a 3-1 victory over the United States on Saturday and a spot in the World Cup quarter-finals, thwarting US efforts at a late comeback.

Lending credence to the idea that fate itself would conspire against the holders in the group stages -- as was the case with Italy in 2010,

A clinical Netherlands ended the United States’ World Cup dream on Saturday, sweeping into the quarter-finals with a ruthless 3-1 victory.

Brazilian icon Pele has been transferred to palliative care after doctors discovered that he was no longer responding to chemotherapy.

Half-fit players, a leaky defence and a controversial flag that raised diplomatic tensions underlined yet another exit for Serbia in the group stage at the World Cup, proving that their resurgence earlier this year was nothing but a false dawn.

Switzerland made it through to the last 16 of the World Cup for a third time in a row after beating Serbia 3-2 in their final Group G game on Friday but their run in this tournament is far from finished, coach Murat Yakin said.

Son Heung-min wants his South Korea side to pull off “another miracle” and beat Brazil on Monday in the World Cup last 16 after their last-gasp heroics against Portugal.

The Netherlands became the first country into the World Cup quarter-finals as they beat the United States 3-1 at the Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday.

Argentines are willing to bond with Bangladeshi people through cricket.

Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus and full-back Alex Telles have been ruled out of the World Cup after the duo picked up knocks during the Selecao's 1-0 defeat to Cameroon in their last World Cup Group G game on Friday, according to ESPN Brasil sources.

The round of 16 kicks off with Group A champions Netherlands taking on the runners-up of Group B USA. 

Brazil ended the first round of the World Cup with a defeat against Cameroon – a first-ever defeat for the Selecao against any African side -- but there are good things to take into account.

The first World Cup hosted by an Arab nation enters its knockout phase on Saturday, but such has been the daily rollercoaster of shocks, comebacks and head-spinning group climaxes that everyone involved should perhaps lie down for a week in a dark room before carrying on.

Projectors are essential whether watching a FIFA World Cup match in an open field with a large crowd or attending an event on a larger screen.