The football junkies started arriving an hour before the World Cup ticket centre opened on Saturday even though loud speaker announcements proclaimed there is nothing to sell.

Lionel Messi said referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz should not have officiated Argentina's tempestuous shootout victory over the Netherlands in the World Cup quarter-finals at Lusail Stadium.

After a long-suffering match against the Netherlands, Argentines traded anxiety for jubilation on Friday after a razor-close victory sent their team to the semifinals in Qatar.

After springing the latest World Cup upset in a tournament which has had its fair share, Morocco will look to extend their fairytale run under the tutelage of Walid Regragui, who himself broke new ground by becoming the first ever African coach to take a team into the World Cup quarterfinals when his side beat Spain on penalties in the last 16.

Croatia battled past tournament favourites Brazil 4-2 on penalties on Friday to reach the World Cup semi-finals following a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes.

Morocco head into Saturday’s last-eight clash with Portugal knowing they are only one step away from making history as Africa’s first World Cup semifinalists, but they face a buoyant opposition fresh from scoring six goals against Switzerland.

Cristiano Ronaldo was upset when he was left out of Portugal’s starting lineup against Switzerland but the conversation to drop him was completely normal and it is high time the world stopped focusing on the matter, coach Fernando Santos said on Friday.

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said "passion and heart" propelled his side into the World Cup semi-finals -- and he was delighted to bring joy to his struggling country.

All eyes will be on Kylian Mbappe once again as France take on England in a mouthwatering World Cup quarterfinal clash but the defending champions must hope their lack of options from the bench will not be exposed on Saturday.

Grant Wahl, a prominent U.S. soccer journalist who was outspoken in his opposition of Qatar hosting the World Cup, died Friday while covering the tournament in Doha. He was 48.

It is short odds that there will be a penalty shootout at the World Cup over the next two days. There has been at least one in the quarterfinals of the last nine tournaments, peaking in 1986 when three of the four matches went to penalties.

Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal hailed the efforts of his squad in fighting back from two goals down to force their World Cup quarter-final against Argentina into a penalty shootout even though their ultimate exit proved to be painful.

Sports and politics had long been interlocked in such a way that the intention to view sports from an apolitical lens becomes, like it or not, a political stance.

Lionel Messi said Argentina have felt the presence of the late, great Diego Maradona throughout their World Cup campaign, including on Friday when they beat the Netherlands on penalties to reach the semi-finals.

Souq Wasif is probably one of the most happening places in all of Qatar as it juxtaposes the past with the present and draws thousands of tourists every day for its eateries, artefacts and old buildings. It is a set of alleys lined by centuries-old buildings on both sides, with modern skyscrapers at one end and a river near the other.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic pledged “this is not the end” after his team sensationally dumped Brazil out of the World Cup on penalties at the quarter-final stage on Friday.

Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez saved penalties from Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis before Lautaro Martinez scored the winning spot kick to secure them a 4-3 shootout win over the Netherlands on Friday after their World Cup quarter-final finished 2-2 after 120 minutes.

Brazil star Neymar hinted he might quit international football on Friday, saying he could not "100 percent" guarantee he would play for the national team again.

Tite confirmed that it was the "end of a cycle" for him as coach of Brazil after the favourites were dumped out of the World Cup in the quarter-finals on penalties by Croatia on Friday.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic pledged "this is not the end" after his team sensationally dumped Brazil out of the World Cup on penalties at the quarter-final stage on Friday.