20 days on with 10 more to go — this edition of football’s quadrennial kingmaker is on its home stretch.
The quarterfinal lineup sees only 4 teams who were present at this stage last time around — England, France, Croatia, and Brazil — while Morocco finds itself at this stage for the first time in its history.
Let us have a quick look at the players who could well be the protagonists in their team’s World Cup story!
FORWARDS
Harry Kane (10.2 Credit) is set to lead his country again in a World Cup quarterfinal and should be a must-pick in every Krida Fans fantasy team. The striker, who is just 1 away from equalling Wayne Rooney’s record of 53 goals for England, has scored twice in as many appearances vs France.
Not far behind in Krida Fans users’ thinking should be the likes of Lionel Messi (11.8 Credit), Cody Gakpo (11.3 Credit), Richarlison (10.9 Credit), Bukayo Saka (10.8 Credit), and Bruno Fernandes (13.5 Credit). Each of the first 4 has gotten on the scoresheet thrice in the tournament with Bruno’s 3 assists, on top of his 2 goals, seeing him become the Portuguese player with the most goal involvements in a single edition of the tournament since the 1966 World Cup.
MIDFIELDERS
Kylian Mbappe (10.2 Credit) was the breakout star at Russia 2018 and his reputation has only gone up by leaps and bounds at Qatar 2022. His 5 goals see him lead the pack for the Golden Boot chase and we can expect that tally to increase when they take on England on Saturday.
Mbappe’s fellow World Cup winner from 2018 — Antoine Griezmann (10.5 Credit) — had a memorable quarterfinal that time around, with a goal and an assist. His big game record should see him with a strong shout for a place in Krida Fans users’ fantasy teams.
The midfield slots see plenty of options with Vinicius Jr (8.7 Credit), Lucas Paqueta (8.4 Credit), Raphinha (8.7 Credit), Jude Bellingham (9.2 Credit), and Denzel Dumfries (8.3 Credit) all having gotten on the scoresheet in this tournament. Neymar (8.1 Credit), surprisingly, offers a cheaper alternative to the big names mentioned above.
DEFENDERS
England vs France will see club teammates and scorer of their team’s opener in their 2018 quarterfinal — Harry Maguire (7.3 Credit) and Raphael Varane (7 Credit) — go head to head. Each of them can be a shrewd pick due to the threat they possess from set pieces.
Portugal’s marauding left-back Raphael Guerreiro (7.3 Credit) should be a must-pick in everyone’s fantasy team, as should be the Moroccan Achraf Hakimi (7.3 Credit), who is also on direct free-kick duties for his team.
GOALKEEPERS
Morocco’s hero from the RO16 and winner of the Zamora trophy for the 2021–22 season, Yassine Bounou (5.4 Credit), offers plenty of points potential in front of a free-scoring Portugal team.
The same should be the case for Croatia’s Dominik Livakovic (5.3 Credit), up against a strong Brazil side, with Krida Fans users inclined to pick goalkeepers primed to face more shots, resulting in more saves and hence, more points.
FORMATION
With the scoring rules favoring overall attacking play than defensive shutouts, Krida Fans users should pick a formation that will help them field more midfielders and forwards. Defenders with attacking potential should be favored for the 3 (or more) defender slots.
In short, a 3–4–3 or a 3–5–2 lineup should be the go-to pick when fantasy teams are locked in for the quarterfinals stage.
What Next?
So there you have it, a comprehensive preview of the quality players who are set to light up the World Cup quarterfinals. Now all that is left to do, is to pick your team and make sure you win the Krida Fans fantasy game!
About KridaFans:
Own Your Fantasy Football Luck at KridaFans. For the first time, users will have the power to influence the rarity of player cards, not the platform. It is the world’s first fantasy football platform that let you earn in multiple ways based on how well you play.
Website | Twitter | Discord | Medium
