Uruguay faces France at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium while Brazil will take on Belgium at Kazan Arena
Football fans will have themselves a feast Friday as the 2018 FIFA World Cup’s quarterfinal matches begin with two heavyweight clashes.
Uruguay will take on France in the first match of the day at 5 p.m. local time (GMT1400) at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium.
Only conceding one goal so far in the tournament, Uruguay will look to gain strength from their tough defense one more time. But this time, they will face an opponent which has started firing on all cylinders recently.
Thanks to a brace by their striker Edinson Cavani, Uruguay eliminated Portugal to advance to the last eight, sending Cristiano Ronaldo home.
Various shots of football fans during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia on July 04, 2018 in Moscow.
2018 FIFA World Cup Russia
France, on the other hand, eliminated Lionel Messi and the Argentina team with a 4-3 score in the second round, behind an illustrious performance by young star Kylian Mbappe.
The second match of the day will be at Kazan Arena at 9 p.m. local time (GMT1800) when two tournament favorites, Brazil and Belgium, will square off.
An octopus that successfully predicted all of Japan's World Cup group stage matches was boiled, butchered and sent away to be sold on June 27, according to the fisherman who originally caught the psychic cephalopod.Rabio the octopus successfully chose the winners of Japan's matches during three experiments carried out in a paddling pool on June 19, the day of Japan's first game against Colombia.The circular paddle pool used for the experiment was separated into three sections - one with a Japanese flag, another an opponent's flag, and a sign that read "draw" - each with a tilted basket strewn with shellfish Rabio could swim into.Video: Japan's oracle octopus boiled and butcheredAfter the experiment, Japan beat Colombia, drew with Senegal, and lost to Poland - results successfully predicted by Rabio.Despite the mollusc gaining some national notoriety for its prophecies, the fisherman who caught it, Kimio Abe, sent it to the market before Japan's third match against Poland. He said they had not originally intended for their catch to become a pet and wanted to put it out to market while still fresh.The Japanese team agonizingly failed to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time when they lost 3-2 to Belgium thanks to a goal in the dying seconds.Japan had led the match 2-0, but the Belgians became the first team to win a World Cup knockout game from two goals down since West Germany beat England 3-2 after extra time in 1970. 
Japan's oracle octopus boiled and butchered
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, former Germany captain and World Cup winner Lothar Matthaeus said on Wednesday.Neymar, who has scored twice so far to help Brazil into the World Cup quarter-finals in Russia where they will face Belgium on Friday, has been sharply criticised for a string of exaggerated reactions when clashing with an opponent."Neymar does not need it. He is an excellent player, one of the five best players in the world," the 57-year-old Matthaeus, who won the 1990 world Cup with West Germany, told reporters. "Why does he need the acting?"It does not bring him sympathy. (1986 World Cup winner) Diego Maradona was not acting, (Argentina captain) Lionel Messi is not acting. We need players like Neymar but not the acting."World Cup: Brazil-Mexico, Belgium-Japan in round 16World Cup: Russia beat Spain 4-3 in penalty shootoutKylian Mbappe leads France to victory against ArgentinaMatthaeus said it was up to referees to put a stop to it, adding that during his playing days Colombia's Carlos Valderrama was one such culprit but now there were just too many."I remember Colombia (against England on Tuesday) how they were acting," he said. England beat Colombia 4-3 on penalties in a bad-tempered game that was almost constantly interrupted with referee Mark Geiger booking six Colombians and two English players."In the 1990s they had one Carlos Valderrama, now Colombia have six. I don't like this provocation and acting and I cannot understand why a player likes to cheat. With video assistant referees (VAR) this should not be possible."Matthaeus also blamed Geiger for not punishing players for it.Video: 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia"You have to cut this. He (Geiger) forgot to cut it at the right time. He let them (Colombians) do it."Geiger awarded England a penalty in the 57th minute but Harry Kane needed to wait several minutes before taking it as Colombian players had surrounded the referee, disputing his decision."With the penalty we missed three minutes of football because of the discussions. We don't need this acting. We want to see football games, people always come to watch a football game. If they want acting they should go somewhere else," the German said.Matthaeus, however, had only praise for the England side and their brand of quick football."England played very well yesterday. These are high level players and the English national team profits from coaches in the Premier League working with these young players. They also learned how to shoot penalties," he added."This young generation, they are believing in themselves. They do not play kick and rush. They like to play out of the defence. This is the style of the English clubs."
Brazil's Neymar should drop the injury act: World Cup winner Matthaeus
Brazil eliminated Mexico 2-0, while Belgium needed a 0-2 deficit comeback to eliminate Japan 3-2.
Speaking to FIFA TV, Brazil's Willian said "Brazil's football will always be one where players smile while they play".
"I think football evolves and gets harder every year. Look at this World Cup," he said, recalling that some big teams like Germany, Spain, Portugal and Argentina are already out.