What makes Neymar, Messi, Van Persie, Balotelli and Hazard different from the rest?
Will the German discipline take them to the final? Will Brazil be able to overcome the loss of Neymar Jr.? Will Argentina move its game to the next level for the semi-final? Or would the Dutch shrug off a bad day at work to reach the final again and get a shot at redemption?
All the hottest models were in attendance at this glamorous event.
Twenty four teams have gone and only eight remain in the hunt to win the World Cup. Some have romped to the last eight, while others have limped. We take a look at the state of the remaining eight sides left in the tournament and their chances of lifting the famous gold trophy at the Maracana in Rio de Janiero on July 13.
Real Madrid's teenage Brazilian duo Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes sent them top of La Liga as both scored in a 2-0 win over Osasuna on Wednesday.
Hosts Brazil and Chile were locked at 1-1 at halftime in a feisty and open World Cup last-16 match on Saturday.
Past and present Barcelona team mates Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano, Neymar and Luis Suarez were all there, as was Gerard Pique and his pop star wife Shakira.
Real Madrid will welcome back the added firepower of talisman Cristiano Ronaldo and striker Karim Benzema when they entertain promoted Osasuna in La Liga on Saturday.
Napoli suffered an agonising exit from the Champions League after beating Premier League leaders Arsenal 2-0 on Wednesday.
Barcelona extended their near-perfect start to the season when Alexis Sanchez tapped in at the far post from Neymar's clever assist to secure a 1-0 win at home to city rivals Espanyol in La Liga on Friday.
Lionel Messi returned to training on Monday after recovering from a stomach bug that caused him to miss Barcelona's goalless draw against Malaga on Saturday.
A red hot Luis Suarez scored four goals and contributed three assists as Barcelona's stuttering La Liga title charge sparked back to life with a spectacular 8-0 thrashing of Deportivo La Coruna on Wednesday.
Title rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid stayed locked together at the top of La Liga after they played out an intense 0-0 draw with few genuine chances at the Calderon on Saturday.
Lionel Messi scored one penalty and missed another as his double helped Barcelona sweep Levante aside in the second half in a 4-1 victory on Sunday to maintain their perfect La Liga start.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Atletico Madrid fell to their heaviest league defeat of the season
Yet even without a transfer fee, Messi's colossal salary, reported to be the highest in world football, means very few clubs would be able to afford him.
Images from Wednesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
There are 28 sports at the Olympics but many home fans will be happy if the hosts win just one as their young soccer team seek to finally secure the only international title that has so far eluded Brazil.
Summary of World Cup qualifiers played across the world on Thursday
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League second semi-final played at Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon on Wednesday.
Barcelona are keen to sign the Brazilian playmaker, who joined Liverpool from Inter Milan for 8.5 million pounds ($11.03 million) in 2013, and have already had an initial bid worth 80 million euros rejected by Liverpool last month.
Liverpool's Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho is on the verge of signing for La Liga leaders Barcelona in a club-record deal, according to Spanish media reports.
Barcelona striker Luis Suarez is in doubt for next month's Copa America.
With champions Germany out, Argentina only scraping through, and Spain in turmoil, many see Brazil as the clear favourites to lift the World Cup in Moscow on July 15.
Alexis Sanchez struck twice and created a goal for Neymar as Barcelona recovered from conceding early to maintain their perfect La Liga start with a 4-1 win at home to Real Valladolid on Saturday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Bikash Mohapatra takes a look the transfer market, wherein some clubs have made quality purchases without actually breaking the bank.
In Rio, over 10,000 athletes will compete for the biggest prize in sport -- an Olympic gold medal.
Barcelona announced on Tuesday the signing of Spain forward Paco Alcacer from Valencia on a five-year contract. He moves to the Nou Camp on his 23rd birthday for a fee of 30 million euros ($33.5 million) and is likely to be the Spanish champions' last signing in the transfer window.
Spain's 3-0 reverse to Brazil in the Confederations Cup final was a mere "blip" and they will be back in Brazil next year confidently chasing a second straight World Cup triumph, according to forward Fernando Torres.
Barcelona's famed youth academy has taken a back seat to big-name signings in recent years but as a result of the FIFA transfer ban imposed on the club, promising youngsters have been given a chance to shine in Luis Enrique's side.
De Rossi, who turned 36 on Wednesday, led Roma for the final time in a 2-1 victory over Parma at the Stadio Olimpico in May and finished his stint in the Italian capital with 616 appearances in 18 years.
Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes conjured two stunning saves to deny Atletico Madrid and help the La Liga champions secure a fourth Spanish Super Cup in five years on away goals after a scrappy 0-0 second leg draw at the Nou Camp on Wednesday.
Ronaldinho and Pato have been recalled to Brazil's squad for Saturday's friendly away to Bolivia in aid of the family of a young fan killed by a flare at a Libertadores Cup match last month.
The French champions blew a 2-0 advantage in their last-16 second leg match against Manchester United in Paris on Wednesday, crashing out on away goals after being beaten 3-1 at the Parc des Princes.
Barcelona were in danger of being toppled from the top of La Liga standings on Sunday after they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Deportivo La Coruna.
Roberto Firmino scored twice and Marquinhos and Philippe Coutinho also got goals as Brazil hammered Bolivia 5-0 in their opening World Cup qualifier in Sao Paulo on Friday.
Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro has defended team mate Gareth Bale after the Welshman was jeered by sections of the Bernabeu crowd during Wednesday's 3-0 win over APOEL Nicosia in the Champions League.
Barcelona legend Xavi believes nobody will ever be able to replace his former teammate Lionel Messi with respect to his abilities and achievements. Comparing the Argentine with Cristiano Ronaldo, Xavi said that Messi was way above the Portugal's Euro 2016 winner. The 36-year old said, "There will be many good players in the future but no one would come close to Messi's level, when he eventually decides to call it quits."
