Bandwagon Round of 16 · BC Place, Vancouver, Canada
Switzerland
ColombiaTuesday, July 7, 4:00 PM EDT · 📺 FOX / FOX One
FT 0-0 (pens 4-3) · Switzerland advance
The last ticket to the quarterfinals. Switzerland just ended an 88-year knockout-win drought behind a 20-year-old nobody saw coming — and now unbeaten Colombia rolls into town.
The winner takes the final quarterfinal spot and faces Argentina or Egypt. Switzerland hasn't reached a World Cup quarterfinal since 1954; Colombia's best-ever run ended in the 2014 quarters — and this team looks at least as good.
Colombia. Unbeaten all tournament, the most fun attack left in this half of the bracket, and Colombian fans turn every stadium into a carnival. (Switzerland is the pick if you enjoy 72-year droughts dying.)
01Sound smart about this
- Switzerland finally broke the curse: the 2-0 win over Algeria was their first World Cup knockout victory in 88 years — since 1938 — snapping six straight knockout-round exits. Beat Colombia and it's a first quarterfinal since 1954.
- The breakout kid: 20-year-old Johan Manzambi has 3 goals and 2 assists — the youngest player EVER with five goal involvements at a single World Cup. A month ago almost nobody outside Freiburg knew his name.
- Colombia won 1-0 over Ghana but lost striker Jhon Córdoba eight minutes in — Colombian outlets report an adductor tear that ends his World Cup (roughly a four-week injury). The silver lining: his replacement Luis Suárez (no, not that one) set up Jhon Arias' winner within minutes and now steps into the starting XI.
02Players to actually watchtap a line to copy
The 20-year-old revelation of the tournament — 3 goals, 2 assists, and the youngest player ever with five goal involvements at a World Cup.
Say this“Manzambi scored a volley two minutes into his World Cup debut — he's 20, and in a year everyone will pretend they knew about him first.”
Three goals this tournament and the target man Switzerland's attack runs through.
Say this“Embolo was born in Cameroon — at the last World Cup he scored against Cameroon and refused to celebrate out of respect.”
Colombia's superstar winger — a goal and an assist in the opener, two more goals ruled out by inches, and FOX's favorite Golden Boot dark horse.
Say this“Díaz against a Swiss defense that has to step up the field is the mismatch — every counter-attack, look for him first.”
Scored the goal that beat Ghana — a redemption arc in real time after a rough loan spell at Wolves ended with him back home as Colombia's match-winner.
Say this“Arias was getting written off in the Premier League six months ago — now he's the reason Colombia is still here.”
03Ask thistap to copy
Nobody outside Switzerland had heard of Manzambi a month ago — is he the breakout star of this entire tournament?
Switzerland waited 88 years between knockout wins — was beating Algeria the ceiling, or can they actually take down Colombia?
Colombia's top scorer this World Cup is their right-back — is that a fun quirk or a real problem waiting to bite them?
James Rodríguez plays for Minnesota United now — why don't more stars come to MLS before they're 35?
The winner gets Argentina or Egypt in the quarters — which draw would you actually want?
04Opinions you can safely have
- Switzerland is organized and tidy in the best way — if it's still 0-0 at the hour mark, that's exactly the game they want.
- Colombia simply has more match-winners: Díaz, Arias, James on a set piece. Over 90 minutes, that usually tells.
- The only World Cup meeting between these two was in 1994 — Colombia won 2-0, and a repeat scoreline wouldn't shock anyone.
05Jargon of the match
A deep midfielder who sets the team's rhythm with constant, tidy passing. Switzerland's captain Granit Xhaka is the metronome here — say 'everything ticks through Xhaka' and you've basically summarized their whole system.
06The call
Colombia 2-1. Switzerland keeps it tight and tidy for an hour — then Díaz happens, and the last quarterfinal ticket flies back to South America.
Facts checked: 2026-07-07. Lineups drop ~1 hour before kickoff.