FIFA Increasing To 48 Teams For 2026 World Cup
An increase to 48 teams could mean more one-sided games that may take some of the shine off a tournament that is meant to be the best vs. the best.
LEARN MOREPosted: 1:57 p.m. EST Dec 9, 2022
Neymar is again going home without a World Cup title. Luka Modric's quest continues unabated.
Modric converted one of the penalties as Croatia knocked Brazil out of the World Cup on Friday, beating the five-time champions 4-2 in a shootout to reach the semifinals for the second straight time.
Neymar tied Pele's record for most goals for the national team, giving Brazil the lead in extra time. But he wasn't among the four Brazilian players to take a penalty in the shootout, instead reduced to tears on the field at Education City Stadium while the red-and-white clad Croatians celebrated.
Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved the penalty first attempt by Rodrygo and Marquinhos later hit the post. Livakovic had already produced some key stops as the teams drew 0-0 in regulation and 1-1 in extra time.
"We are raised as fighters, giving our best," Livakovic said. "And that's the recipe for success."
Five of Croatia's last six matches at World Cups have gone to extra time, including its penalty shootout win over Japan in the round of 16 in Qatar. The team has been successful in eight of its last 10 knockout matches at the tournament.
Nikola Vlasic, Lovro Majer and Mislav Orsic also converted their penalties for Croatia, while Casemiro and Pedro scored for Brazil.
Both goals came in the additional 30 minutes, first with Neymar scoring late in the first half of extra time to give Brazil the lead, and then with Bruno Petkovic equalizing in the 117th.
Neymar's goal moved him into a tie with Pelé as Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 77 goals, but the forward again fell short of winning a major title with Brazil and had to be consoled by veteran defender Dani Alves as he cried after the match.
Croatia will next face either Argentina or the Netherlands to try to return to the World Cup final four years after losing the title to France.
Brazil was looking to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2014. The team hadn't made it that far since hosting the tournament eight years ago, when the Selecao was embarrassed by Germany 7-1.
Brazil was trying to defeat a European opponent in the knockout stage of the World Cup for the first time since the 2002 final against Germany, when the team won for the last time.
Additional reporting by The Associated Press.
