There is an argument that says Brazil against Croatia is the most imbalanced of the four quarter-finals, that says a World Cup giant should swat aside a small nation punching above its weight without fuss. It could be tempting to jump ahead at this point, to trace the lines and feel a jolt of anticipation at the possibility of Brazil colliding with Argentina in the semi-finals, should all go to form.
But the beauty of a World Cup is that each stage is its own distinct challenge, and for all Brazil’s momentum, Croatia are their first serious test. That is not to disparage those who’ve come before: Serbia and Switzerland made decent fists of their group-stage defeats, Cameroon beat a much-changed XI, before Brazil blitzed South Korea in the last-16. But now there are eight nations left, and Tite’s favourites finally face a battle-hardened team who know exactly what it takes to grind through the knockout rounds.
