



Hello Rankers!

The first half of the Round of 16 is over. Hope you have won some points.

To help you score better in RankingBall and win more, here's a strategy guide which can kick you off.

After two penalty shoot-outs, Russia and Croatia have advanced to the quarter-finals. Which world cup favorite will go back home after Spain and Argentina? Will there be more surprises following Russia?

In this guide, we will go over which players you can expect to put in your RankingBall bingo.





Brazil Preview

After their shocking 1-7 defeat to Germany in the last world cup, the all-time favorites Brazil have managed to pull themselves together and come on top of the group stage. Although they have lost Douglas Costa to an injury and Neymar is yet to come on full form, Brazil's depth in squad still shows through their results. With Argentina out of the cup, could Brazil live on as the pride of South America?





Expected Best XI





RankingBall Strategies

Attack Point - With 1 assist and 2 goals to his name, the Barcelona playmaker Coutinho seems like the choice to go for. With Neymar out of form, Coutinho is defenitely Brazil's top attacking talent, and we could expect him to get goals or assists. Another option is to bet on Neymar or Willian, or the fellow FC Barcelona midfielder Paulinho.

Goals - There are three interesting options for this. If you go for the classic striker, try betting for the Man City striker Gabriel Jesus. If you would bet on Neymar coming online and carrying the team, then go ahead. Last but not the least, defender Thiago Silva is another option when it comes to scoring on set pieces. His height is not too big, but he has reflexes that can compensate for it, making him a valid option in the air. Even in Portugal vs Uruguay, Pepe scored while Ronaldo and other offensive players remained silent, so why not?

Assists - Other than Coutinho, other of Brazil's assist options are rather sporadic and hard to predict. Go for the Barcelona midfielder Paulinho, or the side-back Fagner.

Saves - Both Brazil and Mexico have strong options up front. You can count on Alisson to make some saves for Brazil.

Corners / Offside - Brazil will go offensively often. Expect them to earn many corners and fall into offsides.

Shots on - Fill in any FW/MF(more preferably, FW) who will be likely to have a shot on goal. Putting Thiago Silva or Juan Miranda here is another valid option.





Mexico Preview

Group F was an unpredictable "Group of Death", with each side scoring a win over the other in a rock-paper-scissors or Pokemon fashion. Even South Korea was able to snatch a surprise 2-0 victory over Germany. All the four teams had to try their best not only to survive the group, but also to avoid meeting Brazil. However, Mexico lost to Sweden 3-0 and its time for the Mexicans to pay for their blunders. However, Mexico is no walkover for Brazil. Their "defend first and counterattack" tactic has proven effective enough to secure 1-goal wins over Germany and South Korea. With the pride of North America on their shoulders, could Mexico stage another upset?

Expected Best XI





RankingBall Strategies

Attack Point - Chicharito has been the linchpin of Mexico's attacks, with 1 goal and assist each to his name. He was the man who broke through Germany and South Korea's defenses, and should Mexico score, it would be credited to him.

Goal -The striker Carlos Vela is an option here. Although his only goal so far was from a penalty, Vela has the finish and calmness of what it takes to be a penalty kicker - a position awarded only to the best forwards of the team.

Assist - Other than Chicharito, Lozano is the only other Mexican with an assist, making him the most viable option here.

Fouls/Cards - The Mexican defense has a reputation for playing rough and collecting cards. Expect the Mexican defenders and the midfielder Herrera to collect some cards.

Saves - Ochoa has been Mexico's sturdy last line of defense. As Brazil is expected to come offensively, expect Ochoa to make many saves.





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