We head right into the sharp end of the 2022 Fifa World Cup on Saturday, as the second pair of quarter-finals are played out in Qatar.
All roads lead to a monumental collision between 1966 champions England and reigning global kings France.
But before that there’s Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal taking on surprise package Morocco, who continue to fly the flag for the African continent on the biggest football stage of all.
World Cup predictions and fixtures for 10 December
*All kick off times are in Central Africa Time.
Quarter-final: Morocco vs Portugal – 17.00
A place in the final four is at stake as Morocco and Portugal go toe-to-toe in the 2022 Fifa World Cup semi-finals in Qatar on Saturday.
The pair have enjoyed outstanding tournaments so far and come into their last eight clash knowing the winner will take on either England or France for a spot in the final next weekend.
It was out with the old and in with the new for the Portuguese in their Round of 16 tie with Switzerland.
Cristiano Ronaldo was left on the bench for most of a game in which whizkid Goncalo Ramos rattled in a hat-trick in a 6-1 thrashing of their fellow European nation.
Veteran Pepe, Raphael Guerriero and Raphael Leao were all on target, too, as coach Fernando Santos was proved entirely justified in dropping the global superstar in favour of the next generation.
The Moroccans had to work a damn sight harder for their prized place in the quarters.
Achraf Hakimi was the penalty shootout hero after a 120-minute, goalless marathon against 2010 World Cup winners Spain.
Keeper Yassine Bounou saved two Spanish spot kicks and they conspired to miss the other of a miserable trio, before Hakimi dinked in the decider in front of the jubilant ranks of African supporters.
It made the Atlas Lions just the fourth nation from the continent to reach the last eight of the tournament, matching the achievement of Ghana in South Africa 12 years ago.
And they will fear nothing when they take the field against their defeated opponents’ Iberian neighbours, Ronaldo or not.
Quarter-final: England vs France – 21.00
A mouthwatering 2022 Fifa World Cup clash sees England meet France at the quarter-final stage in Qatar on Saturday night.
The pair meet to decide the last remaining semi-finalist in the Gulf, in a huge test of both nations’ credentials.
It’s the French who will fancy themselves as favourites to push on towards retaining their global crown, having breezed through the pool phase before purring past Poland in the Round of 16.
The Russia 2018 champions had the magnificent sight of Kylian Mbappe pulling the strings – and adding another two goals to his personal tally – in a 3-1 win over the Poles.
Olivier Giroud became the leading all-time goalscorer for Les Bleus in opening the scoring, with Robert Lewandowski’s last-gasp penalty the only blemish for Didier Deschamps’ side.
It was a result to put any lingering doubts to bed after a much-changed side stuffed up against Tunisia in their final Group D fixture, after wins over Australia and disappointing Denmark had seen the job already done.
Gareth Southgate’s English have enjoyed an equally serene progression to the quarter-finals, as they aim to at least match their semi-final performance of four years ago.
An intriguing Round of 16 tie with Senegal proved a breeze on Sunday night.
The Three Lions absorbed early pressure from the injury-hit African champions, before picking them off with three sumptuous team goals.
Veteran Jordan Henderson and whizkid Bukayo Saka were both on target either side of captain Harry Kane, who finally opened his account in the competition.
They had early strolled to the top of Group B thanks to resounding wins over Iran and neighbours Wales, with the drab goalless draw with the USA in the middle failing to put a dent in their ambitions.