India, July 8 -- And breathe.

It's been four weeks into the 2026 World Cup, four weeks of football fans all over the world being treated to an international match-up every single day - in fact, often three or four a day. Now, the knockout stages are halfway through. Today, Wednesday, marks the first day of the tournament summer that is not a matchday.

The Round of 16 did not fail to entertain, with no shortage of headlines and special narratives. From dominant wins oozing class and quality to frenetic matches delivering multiple twists and turns, from stunning upsets and underdog victories to expected wins for the heavyweight names, the knockouts have provided umpteen talking points and moments of magic and incredulity.

For starters, a...