Quarterfinal preview: 1 reason each team could win the tournament, 1 reason they won’t

The field has been whittled down.

From 32 teams at the outset, the World Cup is now down to eight sides who still hope to lift the world's most coveted trophy on July 13.

Here's one reason why each of the remaining teams could win, and one reason why they won't.

France

Why they could win

Everything is clicking, and they have been the most impressive team in the tournament not named Colombia.

The defense has a good blend of pace and power, regardless which two of Laurent Koscielny, Raphael Varane and Mamadou Sakho are selected by manager Didier Deschamps. The midfield trio has been dominant, and Karim Benzema is leading an attack that is doing just fine without Franck Ribery.

Just keep doing what you're doing, guys.

Why they won’t

Good as they've looked, France has had the easiest route to the quarterfinals. While other teams have encountered some of the big names already, Les Bleus will go from relatively weak opposition straight into one of the tournament heavyweights without any buffer.

That's a little concerning.

Germany

Why they could win

Collectively, they still have the most talent at the tournament. They've come this far without hitting their stride, and have gotten little (if anything) from Mesut Ozil and Mario Gotze thus far.

Indeed, Munich-based newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung described the pair as the "invisible duo" of the World Cup to this point.

"A Gotze who isn't there and a Ozil, who is there at the beginning and then goes missing for while - presumably to run some errands - and then comes back only at the end. That won't be enough," added the publication.

If those two get it going...

Why they won’t

Joachim Low seems hellbent on playing four central defenders because, well, he just feels like it. There’s no legitimate reason for him to do so  - other than to hold it over the entire world if he wins.

In Philipp Lahm he has the services of the best fullback in the game at his disposal, yet he insists on using him as a holding midfielder. That's fine against some of the lesser teams the Germans have defeated already, as Lahm's presence in the middle gives his team an even greater advantage than they already enjoy in that area.

France's midfield trio of Paul Pogba, Yohan Cabaye and Blaise Matuidi will negate that advantage, while Antoine Griezmann and Mathieu Valbuena have a field-day with Die Maannschaft's makeshift fullbacks.

Brazil

Why they could win

It’s fixed, duh.

Seriously though, Neymar has already proved he can single-handedly drag this team to the quarterfinal. If he gets any help whatsoever from his teammates, Brazil will be a terrifying prospect for even the most resolute defense.

Hulk showed glimpses of his talent against Chile, using his power to beat defenders and get inside on his left foot. The end product wasn't there, as he has now taken the most shots of any player in the tournament without scoring (11). Maybe he breaks that duck at some point, maybe Fred/Jo aren't completely useless the rest of the way and maybe the hosts deliver the victory their country is so desperately yearning for.

Why they won’t

Because they have to do something nobody else has been able to do - stop James Rodriguez - and they have to accomplish it without their best defensive midfielder (Luiz Gustavo). That's a frightening prospect.

Much like fellow pre-tournament favorites Argentina, the Selecao have been underwhelming, and were (very) lucky to escape their last match against Chile.

Unlike the above where all the "maybes" result in positive outcomes, one of those things going wrong could see Brazil - the team and the country - left in tears.

Colombia

Why they could win

Ham-es. The Monaco star was the best player of the tournament during the group stage, and his brace against Uruguay showed that he has no intention of cooling off anytime soon.

His wing man, Juan Cuadrado, has not gotten the same attention, but his four assists (three of them to Rodriguez) lead the way in Brazil, and there has not yet been a fullback who has been able to slow him down.

Why they won’t

Mario Yepes and Cristian Zapata, good as they’ve been so far, are not one of the elite defensive pairs in the world. Far, far from it. The duo has not been challenged in the slightest as of yet. 

Greece (LOL), Ivory Coast (old Didier Drogba), Japan (coached by Alberto Zaccheroni) and Uruguay (no Luis Suarez) were hopeless in testing the Colombian defense.

Brazil are not any of those teams, even if Fred is on the pitch.

Argentina

Why they could win

Lionel Messi is the best player of all time. That’s why.

Why they won’t

How many times can they rely on a combination of luck and Messi to bail them out before they get burned? 

His teammates (Angel Di Maria aside) seem intent on just watching him try and weave through a forrest of defenders, instead of offering him anything resembling support. If Messi, for some strange reason, is not at his very best, the Albiceleste are toast.

Granted, in a short tournament like this where one lucky bounce or beneficial call can play such a massive factor in determining who wins, perhaps they can make it all the way through to July 13 unscathed. 

An own goal by Bosnia, a last-second winner against Iran, another later goal against Switzerland - followed by the Swiss hitting the post with a free header from inside the six-yard box with just seconds remaining. Everything is coming up baby blue and white so far for Argentina. 

Belgium

Why they could win

Romelu Lukaku has finally showed up. Absent to the point that he was replaced in the lineup by teenager Divock Origi for the match against the United States, the burly striker came off the bench to set up the opening goal of the match before scoring what proved to be the winner.

On his day, he's almost unstoppable. He just needs three more of those days.

Why they won’t

This penchant for leaving it late is going to come back and Luis Suarez bite them in the backside at some point. 

The Red Devils have looked solid thus far, but one area of concern continues to be their fullbacks. Much like Germany, Belgium is using four natural center-backs across the defense, something that leaves them susceptible to pace out wide (see: Yedlin, DeAndre).

Angel di Maria, Ezequiel Lavezzi and to a lesser extent Pablo Zabaleta should be very excited right now.

Netherlands

Why they could win

Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie are the best attacking duo remaining in the tournament. If it's not one, it's the other. 

And if it's neither, Louis van Gaal has such an envious array of attacking talent on the bench that he can simply turn and call upon another potential match-winner. It was Memphis Depay in the group stages, and Klaas-Jan Hunterlaar did the job against Mexico. 

Almost all of the teams remaining at this stage have numerous attacking options, but the Dutch are the only squad so far to look capable of winning games by simply outscoring their opponents. 

Why they won’t

His absence has gone unnoticed by many, but the groin injury that has likely ended Nigel de Jong's tournament is a significant blow to the Oranje.

Van Gaal has other options, sure, but they include either lesser players at the position (Jonathan de Guzman) or moving others in his starting lineup around (Daley Blind). Neither of those is ideal, particularly as the Dutch will need to beat teams with players who thrive when picking up the ball in the midfield and running at defenders.

Costa Rica

Why they could win

No team has showed a greater penchant for staunch defending than Los Ticos. They've conceded just two goals in four matches - one from the penalty spot and one in the final seconds against Greece after being reduced to ten men.

Jorge Luis Pinto's team has been superbly organized at the back, with the excellent Keylor Navas proving an almost insurmountable last line of defense.

You only need one goal to win a game, and this looks like the team most likely to replicate Spain's run in 2010 of four 1-0 victories en route to a title.

Why they won’t

All good things have to come to an end eventually, right?

Impressive as they have been so far, who have they beaten that makes you believe they have enough to go the distance? On paper, the list is illustrious. Former World Cup and European champions.

In truth, they beat an already poor Uruguay team that didn't have Luis Suarez, a wildly disappointing Italy side that was missing Marco Verratti, and they drew an England squad that had nothing to play for. They followed that up with a penalty shootout victory over the worst team in the Round of 16.