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After two days without World Cup soccer, we are back before the withdrawal symptoms got too bad. Today's matches see European titans France and Germany face off in the morning, then South America's two most populous nations, Brazil and Colombia, take each other on in the day's afternoon match. (So what if Brazil still has more than four times the population?)
The US may be out of the World Cup, but for the first time in years every group winner has advanced. The teams still in contention are the usual world powers and should make for some very impressive soccer.
Also, Costa Rica is still in it and representing CONCACAF, but they play tomorrow, so don't worry about them for now.
This is your all-purpose World Cup open thread. Drop in to make some predictions, talk about the games, or anything else World Cup related.
Today's Games
France vs. Germany
Watch it on: ESPN2
Kick off: 9:00 AM PT at Estadio de Maracana in Rio De Janeiro
The two European sides in this game have both shown that they can attack, defend, and still sometimes struggle against an opponent that they should easily outmatch. What neither has done, with all due respect to their groups, is come up against another side that is a true competitor for the World Cup final.
Brazil vs. Colombia
Watch it on: ESPN
Kick off: 1:00 PM PT at Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza
The hosts take on one of the tournament darlings in the afternoon's South American match up. The Brazilians have looked far from overwhelming in the World Cup so far, but their young superstar, Neymar, has the skill both to lift his teammates and carry them if need be. For the Columbians, James Rodriguez has been filling that role and scoring almost at will while doing so. This game will be more than just a match up of those two players, however, as two continental giants battle for a spot in the Semifinals.