Image source, Getty Images

• This will be the eighth meeting between Brazil and South Korea but the first ever competitive meeting between the two sides. Brazil have won six of the previous seven matches (L1), most recently a 5-1 victory in June.
• Brazil have lost four of their last 10 matches at the World Cup. Their previous four defeats in the competition were spread across 36 matches.
• This will be South Korea's first World Cup knockout match since 2010, when they were beaten by Uruguay in the last 16.
• Brazil have progressed from each of their last seven second-round matches at the World Cup. They were last eliminated at this stage in 1990 against Argentina.

Image source, Getty Images

Son Heung-min registered his first goal contribution of the 2022 World Cup in the 91st minute of South Korea's previous game, assisting Hwang Hee-Chan for the goal that secured their qualification from the group.

He’s still looking for his first goal of the current tournament, and has only scored with one of his last 13 shots at the World Cup (v Germany in 2018).

BBC Radio 5 Live

Speaking to Radio 5 Live, South American football expert Tim Vickery says "the line yesterday was if Neymar comes through training fine then he will play and he will probably start and that will improve the team greatly."

Looking ahead to their game against South Korea, he said: "These sides met in June in South Korea and the South Korean coach said ‘we always attack, let’s see if we can do that against one of the giants of the world game’ and the final score was South Korea 1, Brazil 5…

"So I don’t think they will be doing that, they won’t be doing an all-out attack. The challenge thrown down there to Brazil ‘come and break us down’ that will be South Korea's approach."

Reflecting on what the World Cup means to Brazil he says, "they haven’t had success in the last 20 years and they are very confident that it will come this year with a side back to full strength and more rested than South Korea’s.

"It will be seen as a national tragedy if they don’t get through to the semi-final at least. The expectations are so great that anything less than winning is failure."

Neymar is available for Brazil's World Cup last-16 match against South Korea on Monday, coach Tite has confirmed.

The forward, 30, missed Brazil's last two group games after sustaining ligament damage in his right ankle in the opening match against Serbia.

Brazil, one of the pre-tournament favourites, qualified for the knockout stage with a game to spare and topped Group G despite defeat by Cameroon.

Asked on Sunday whether Neymar would be fit to return, Tite replied "yes".

He added: "Neymar will train today in the afternoon and if he trains well he will play."

Is Neymar fit to face South Korea?

Image source, BBC Sport

No-one predicted Japan would get out of their group or that Germany would be knocked out - well, no-one apart from me.

I don't think the Blue Samurai are done at this tournament yet, although I can see this tie going the distance and all the way into extra-time before they win it.

I am maybe being a little romantic here, because Croatia have some canny operators and fantastic players.

Japan are probably a better team than they think they are, with the technical players they have. At the moment they play in patches but that might still be enough.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1 after 90 minutes. Japan to win 2-1 after extra-time.

Image source, Getty Images

• This will be the third World Cup meeting between the sides. Croatia won 1-0 in 1998 and they drew 0-0 in 2006, both in the group stage.
• Japan were knocked out in the last 16 by Turkey in 2002, Paraguay in 2010 and Belgium in 2018. The only Asian nations to reach the World Cup quarter-finals are North Korea in 1966 and South Korea in 2002.
• Croatia have lost only two of their eight World Cup knockout games (W4 D2), and they progressed from the two drawn matches on penalties - both in 2018.
• Japan averaged only 32% possession across their three group games. Their two wins over Spain and Germany came with 18% and 26% possession respectively.

Image source, Getty Images

Will the odds finally be in Japan's favour today or will their World Cup journey end once again at the first knockout hurdle?

Japan defender Ko Itakura is suspended so Takehiro Tomiyasu is in line to replace him as he is now fit enough to start, having been hampered by a hamstring injury at the start of the tournament.

However, Takefusa Kubo missed training on Saturday due to muscular discomfort, while Hiroki Sakai is still troubled by the thigh problem he picked up in their match against Germany.

Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic made just one change during his side's three group stage games and could again stick with the same team that played against Canada and Belgium.

Croatia failed to score against Morocco and Belgium, but a 4-1 over Canada ensured they progressed as Group F runners-up.

Manager Zlatko Dalic said of Japan's stunning 2-1 win over Spain: "When Spain scored the opening goal, I thought Japan were finished, but they never gave up and deserved their victory.

"The fact that Germany, Belgium and Denmark have all been eliminated illustrates just how strong other teams have been at this World Cup.

"In the past, I might have picked Japan as an opponent that we would want to play, but they have defeated both Germany and Spain. This certainly will not be an easy game for us."

Image source, Getty Images

Yuto Nagatomo has made a bold statement to his Japan team-mates before their meeting with Croatia today, saying they must "fight like Samurai" to win a place in the quarter-finals.

Japan stunned Spain and Germany to win Group E and reach the knockout stage for a fourth time.

Croatia, runners-up in 2018, stand in the way of Japan's first World Cup quarter-final.

Nagatomo said that "the first condition is to have courage" at the Al Janoub Stadium in Qatar.

"Before they go into battle they [Samurai] polish their weapons and try to improve their techniques," said the defender.

"But if they are scared during battle, they would not be able to use those weapons and techniques fully.

"It's exactly the same with football. Of course, the tactics and techniques are important, but no matter how much we have improved those, if we are scared when we are on the field, those things are useless."

Image source, Getty Images

We've got two more games coming up today to kick off another week of World Cup action.

First up, Japan take on Croatia at 15:00 GMT.

You can watch that on BBC One and iPlayer or listen on BBC Radio 5 Live. There will also be a live text to follow along.

Then we've got Brazil v South Korea later at 19:00 GMT.

There'll be build up and commentary from 18:00 GMT on BBC Radio 5 Live and as always you can keep up to date with the action on our live text page.

Jude Bellingham doesn't turn 20 until 29th June 2023.

My word.

While we digest that information, let's sprinkle a little bit of Monday's last-16 ties into the page.

Just interested if you're a Liverpool fan...

Do you think Jude Bellingham will end up at the club at some point?

Or will the price tag for the midfielder - which will no doubt rise if he delivers another stellar performance against France - mean he goes elsewhere?

Stretch your thumbs and let us know below.

Wherever Jude Bellingham is, you can be sure 'agent' Trent Alexander-Arnold is not too far behind.

The Liverpool right-back posted this picture to his Instagram stories of himself and Jordan Henderson recreating the goal celebration that took place between the Reds captain and the 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder.

Image source, Trent Alexander-Arnold Instagram

Image source, Getty Images

French football journalist Loic Tanzi on BBC Radio 5 Live: "We think this is one of the best English teams we have seen in a long time. There is quality everywhere on the pitch. It is 50/50 and for France it is always special to play England because we know the history between the two countries.

"A friend of mine said to me 'Can you imagine if we lose on Saturday? The English people will speak about it for 100 years!'

"England can do it because the French team is young, it's not the same team if you compare it to four years ago when they were world champions.

"The team depends every time on Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Griezmann, Giroud - if those players are not at their best during the game, I think it will be really hard for us and in defence we are not the best as well. I think Varane is not 100 per cent fit at the moment."

What's the feeling from the French media about the quarter-final match with England on Saturday?

A place in the semi-final a done deal for the defending champions?

Well, not quite, according to journalist Loic Tanzi...

Mason Mount has been quick to point out the importance of England's backroom staff as they continue on their World Cup journey...

Alex Howell
Football reporter at England camp

Gareth Southgate looking over training. All the players who didn’t start the match are out here in Al Wakrah apart from Callum Wilson who has a minor strain.

Image source, BBC Sport