The Netherlands, Chile, Brazil and Mexico are out of the World Cup groups and into the hope-shattering, dream-making round of 16 bracket.
Who will join Colombia and Costa Rica to make it out of Group C and D, respectively? And who will matchup in the first round of the playoffs? Let's take a look at what to expect on the Day 13.
Group D Final Matches
Costa Rica vs. England
With no shot of advancing, England can only save face at this point. And considering how cynical English fans can be, the team's performance is already damned in the eyes of most of their countrymen.
What's more, a final match against the dark horse in a "Group of Death" probably doesn't bode well for England.
Costa Rica already has a spot in the round of 16 and likely the top seed even if they lose to England. Uruguay or Italy would have to win big -- Italy would have to go 4-0 and Uruguay 5-0 -- to make up the goal differential lead Costa Rica has on both.
You could expect the "Ticos" -- as they are known -- to use this opportunity to rest their starters going into the knockout round. But, it's much more likely that you see Costa Rica -- with their top-seed fate in their hands -- come out and play the fast-paced game that saw them crush every team that was thought to be their death.
Italy vs. Uruguay
Who would've thought the "Group of Death" would mean the death of Italy or Uruguay's tournament lives?
Though this game will mean everything to both squads, Uruguay absolutely needs a win here in order to advance into the knockout rounds. Italy certainly advances with a win, but they could edge out Uruguay with a draw due to goal differentials.
So, who's looking like they can do it?
You can never count out the magnificent Andrea Pirlo, who sets up some of the most beautiful crosses in all of soccer. But the reality is that Pirlo had no presence in Italy's match against Costa Rica on Friday. And in a tournament that's shaping up to be all about the counter attack from big-name strikers, Luis Suarez's performance against England on Thursday puts Uruguay in a more comfortable position.
But Italy still has its star striker, Mario Balotelli. Maybe the pressure to get a kiss from the Queen was too much for Balotelli -- or perhaps he's much more comfortable when everything is on the line.
Italy's manager Cesare Prandelli is wont to run a 1-5-4 lineup with a heavy midfield and Balotelli as a lone striker. It was successful against the English, but lacking in Italy's game against Costa Rica as Italy was never able to find any creative scoring opportunities for Balotelli.
A potential remedy could be Prandelli running two strikers in Balotelli and Ciro Immobile, who has usually been subbed in for Balotelli in the World Cup thus far, and pull a defender for a 2-5-3 lineup.
Uruguay, on the other hand, likes to run a traditional 2-4-4 with two strikers in Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan or Edinson Cavani. Though Uruguay has the option to play the ball to two strikers, it will almost assuredly always go to Suarez, who -- despite recovering from injury -- carried Uruguay into a win over England.
To answer the question posed earlier, both teams have shown that they can compete in this World Cup, but also that they've struggled to find plays on the ball. Both teams are shaky and neither is an outright favorite to win, which makes it all the more fun to watch.
In these do or die matches, it's a matter of what magic you want to believe in: Pirlo and Balotelli, or Suarez? (Or both, and we all watch happily and awestruck knowing gods do exist.)
Group C Final Matches:
Greece vs. Ivory Coast
The hard truth for the Greeks is that the Ivory Coast has come out to play and Greece hasn't.
That's not to say that Greece doesn't have a shot at advancing in the World Cup. If Colombia beats Japan as they are expected to do, a Greece win over the Ivory Coast puts them into the knockout round -- no matter their current -3 goal differential.
So on both sides, you have teams hungry for a second seed and World Cup playoff berth. But only one team has had performed, and that team isn't Greece. Ivory Coast should be able to clinch their second seed. They want it just as bad and are simply better than Greece at the moment.
But are they better than the surging Costa Ricans who they'll probably have to face in the first round of playoffs?
Japan vs. Colombia
As mentioned before, Colombia topped their group, made quick work of Greece, bested the Ivory Coast to make it into the round of 16 ,and there's no reason why you shouldn't expect them to do the same with Japan.
Colombia, like Costa Rica, can enjoy the pleasure of having already qualified. Backed by a massive +4 goal differential, Colombia can definitely rest their players, risking a loss against Japan and still more likely than not take the top seed.
That will likely be the story for a lot of teams that have already guaranteed advancement to the next round of the World Cup with decisive victories. It comes down to whether or not taking a breather or moving into the knockout round with momentum from a win is worth it.
Looking at Colombia's World Cup playoff competition, they'll either face Uruguay vs. Italy, which could be daunting depending on how either team plays on Tuesday.
BONUS: The Complete Guide To World Cup Team Nicknames
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