Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer in Doha

I can take my lead from Portugal’s coach Fernando Santos, who was clearly unimpressed with his gestures when being substituted against South Korea.

This certainly follows on from what happened at Manchester United and smacks of a truly great player with a giant ego raging against the dying of the light, refusing to accept the reality of decline that comes to them all.

It doesn’t look good at all but what does look good for Portugal is his replacement Goncalo Ramos coming in, scoring a hat-trick and the team looking much better without Ronaldo.

Ronaldo even tried to claim a goal which wasn’t his against Uruguay so it looks a bit desperate. Maybe he’ll score the winner in the World Cup final to make us all look daft.

Guillem Balague
BBC Sport football expert

What is your opinion on Ronaldo’s demeanour at the tournament? He seems to have taken his pettiness from club level to Portugal. Bad look.

He has forgotten a long time ago what sport is.

How much he needs people around him. His huge bubble (as you can see by the messages his family are putting out) has made him believe he is the centre of the world.

You could see this ending coming a mile away.

• Ronaldo reduced to role of superstar nobody wants

Image source, Reuters

In the meantime, the circus around Cristiano Ronaldo continues.

Today, the Portuguese Football Federation have denied he threatened to abandon the World Cup squad after being named on the bench against Switzerland in their 6-1 win on Tuesday.

A report from Portuguese publication Record said he had previously threatened to leave during a tense conversation with head coach Fernando Santos.

"The FPF clarifies that at no time did the captain of the Selecao, Cristiano Ronaldo, threaten to leave the national team during the stay in Qatar," said the federsation.

"Every day Ronaldo is building up a unique track record at the service of the national team and the country.

"Incidentally, the degree of dedication of the player most capped by Portugal was again demonstrated - if necessary - in the victory against Switzerland, in the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup."

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer in Doha

Will England prepare differently for their game against France compared to their other games?

I think England’s preparation under Gareth Southgate and Steve Holland is always meticulous but I don’t doubt they will have been looking at plans on how to at least try to stop Kylian Mbappe, his supply of the ball, while also looking at his other attacking colleagues Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann.

It would be remiss of them not too.

England’s coaching team have been conducting a forensic examination of many of France’s games to avoid leaving themselves exposed to situations where Mbappe can cause the sort of mayhem he did against Poland.

How successful has that been? We’ll find out on Saturday.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer in Doha

Do you think England should look at changing their defence against France, with Maguire’s lack of pace going up against Mbappe and Dembele?

This is already one of the big talking points before this game, whether England will stick with a back four or go for a three-man central defence to offer extra insurance to the likes of Harry Maguire and John Stones.

Kyle Walker will be the key man here because he plays on Kylian Mbappe’s side and has the pace to at least try to combat him and has had a bit of success against him playing for Manchester City in the Champions League.

The slight concern is he may still be a little short of full match fitness after groin surgery.

I would name an unchanged team and keep the same system because I would not want to alter what looks to be a very good balance in midfield with Declan Rice, Jordan Henderson and Jude Bellingham but there is no doubt Mbappe is the big danger.

It does not take a genius to work that one out.

• Pick your England team to face France
• Walker 'will not roll out red carpet' for Mbappe

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer in Doha

Image source, Getty Images

Whose stock do you feel has risen the most as a result of their performances at the World Cup? Likewise, whose has fallen?

I’d go for Jude Bellingham but if you want me to look outside England, I’d go for Croatia’s defender Josko Gvardiol, who I think will go for very big money if and when he leaves RB Leipzig.

I really liked the look of Goncalo Ramos when he scored that hat-trick for Portugal against Switzerland. Benfica’s striker is powerful, mobile and scored three very different types of finish.

As for whose stock has fallen, I think I’ll go for the entire Belgium team and their coach Roberto Martinez.

Guillem Balague
BBC Sport football expert

It is absurd to tell another country how to celebrate. This is a game.

Watching Brazil makes me feel like a kid again, they probably feel the same and happiness takes them to dance, it is how they communicate and share moments.

I hope they keep doing it. Tite is Brazilian and carries that inside too.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer in Doha

What do you think of Brazil’s goal celebrations and coach joining in against South Korea?

I don’t have a problem with it at all. It didn’t do anyone any harm.

It reflected the joyous nature of their first half performance and it was all very Brazilian.

We have seen lots of pre-meditated celebrations before at World Cups from many countries without adverse comment or criticism so I didn’t see what the fuss was about this. Those complaining all sounded a bit killjoy to me.

As for Tite joining in, he wasn’t the best at it but he had a good go. No problem at all here.

Guillem Balague
BBC Sport football expert

Image source, Getty Images

Which player has stolen the show?

Lionel Messi.

Cristiano Ronaldo is showing how difficult is to accept the end is near but he had put all in one basket - scoring goals.

Messi had adapted in recent years, getting away from the goal and now he has reached another level. He waits for his moment to be decisive on the edge of the box and he trusts others to give fluidity to the side. He doesn’t want to do everything and understands his reduced role, crucial as it might be.

• Watch the Messi documentary on BBC iPlayer

Guillem Balague
BBC Sport football expert

Do you think the clamour from everyone for Messi to lift the World Cup will ultimately be too much for the players?

It will affect zero what happens and I find it lovely that so many want him to win it.

I have never seen that before in 30 years in the game. He can handle it.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer in Doha

Out of all the shocks we have seen so far in this World Cup, which one is the biggest in your opinion?

Morocco’s advance to the quarter-final is probably the biggest surprise in the team context but looking at shock results then you go straight to Japan beating Germany and Saudi Arabia beating Argentina in the group stage.

Morocco could also lay claim to it after their win against Spain on penalties.

I’d go Saudi Arabia beating Argentina as the biggest shock given the gap between the two countries, the fact one was regarded as one of the favourites to win the World Cup before the tournament started and Lionel Messi had put them ahead so that Saudis had to come from behind to win. Massive shock. Great game.

Guillem Balague
BBC Sport football expert

Who do you think has overperformed, and who has had a stinker?

Morocco is the obvious answer, but there are two tiny countries that keep overachieving and they have to always be praised for it: Croatia and Netherlands.

Guillem Balague
BBC Sport football expert

Do you think the mid-season World Cup, with its associated lack of prep time in the build-up, has affected the chances of the big Euro teams?

The big European teams made it to the quarter-finals, except Germany and Spain. There are always teams that do not get the balance right.

With Portugal, England, France, Croatia, Netherlands, Europe is well represented. What is certain is the players' sharpness and the fact that defending structure is always easier to prepare than organised attack. This is a utopia for national teams but led to the failure of Spain and Germany for instance, who trust collective answers will beat compact teams.

It means you need individuals (on form and with high quality) to take teams to the next level. As a general rule, teams with players who are decisive in the last third have taken them to quarters (Croatia and Morocco being the exception).

Guillem Balague
BBC Sport football expert

Image source, Getty Images

Which coach has been the tactical genius of the tournament so far and why?

Most managers in the World Cup are mediocre, as in, not ready to take risks. They do not earn a lot of money so the best prepared ones only look at the national side as a final step in a career.

Having said that, I think Gareth Southgate is maximising the potential of the side, his substitutions have made an impact and I believe there is more to come.

He is someone that knows his limits and won't re-invent the wheel but will push the team to the limit.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer in Doha

Image source, Getty Images

If England lose to France on Saturday, will you regard this tournament as progress for England? Do you think Southgate will/should remain?

This is a really good question.

It would be a disappointment, no doubt, as it would represent a backward step from reaching a World Cup semi-final and a Euros final in the last two major tournaments but the team itself, in my opinion, is better than both of those teams with younger players such as Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham emerging.

In terms of pure results, however, it must be seen as a backward step even though the future looks good.

As for Gareth Southgate, it is totally down to him whether he stays or go. Even if England go out on Saturday, the FA want him to stay and fulfil the contract he has signed until December 2024.

If he wants to stay then I think he should stay because of his record in major tournaments and the way the England team is developing. Will he want to stay? I do think there is an element of doubt because he did say when results were poor last summer that he would not outstay his welcome and there may well come a point when he wants to return to club management.

Guillem Balague
BBC Sport football expert

How do the rest of the world feel about how England play, and their chances? It is hard to get a clear picture from within the UK.

There is admiration for individuals (Bellingham ahead of them all, Kane, Foden, Saka too) and unfair disappointment about tactics, but much less than you felt in England a couple of weeks ago.

Southgate’s practical approach is understood and even respected, but the overall impression (again, unfair in my view) is that England should be the England we have all dreamt for ages, the England of free-flowing attack.

In fact, I have never seen that England and this one now is very well prepared to win the whole thing.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer in Doha

Image source, Getty Images

Is there something in the English psyche preventing us from repeating the 1966 win, and if so what is it?

I’m not sure it has got anything to do with 1966 but there still seems to be that barrier where England struggle to get past the bigger nations/better teams at major tournaments.

We saw it in Russia where, let’s face it, they beat all the teams they were supposed to beat but lost to Croatia in the semi-final and to Belgium in the group and third place games. You could say the same about Italy in the Euro 2020 Final at Wembley.

There is definitely a psychological hurdle to cross, which is why if England cross it against France on Saturday I think they will reach the final. Will they win it? That is another question entirely.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer in Doha

Do you see England beating France and do you think they'll get into the final?

I genuinely think it’s a 50-50 game, which means I do see England having a real chance to beat France. I think England’s midfield and attack has a very good balance but my worry, as always, is the defence.

I’m just not convinced about it against high class opposition and you are talking the very highest class of opposition in Kylian Mbappe and the World Cup holders. England can certainly hurt France going the other way, though.

If England beat France I think they will reach the World Cup final.

Right, let's get into this.

First up, some questions on the biggest game of the weekend - at least in this part of western Europe anyway...

We've had a deluge of these - thanks for all your contributions.

Sneaking one more in before the Q&A kicks off!

Taz: Steve Fogrizovic

Hariboss: Phil Frozen