After the quarterfinals, the remaining four teams are France, Argentina, Spain, and England.

But the more surprising moment comes when checking the FIFA rankings.

1st France. 2nd Argentina. 3rd Spain. 4th England.

It's truly remarkable that the top four ranked teams have all made it to the World Cup semifinals.

This is a scene rarely seen in World Cup history.

The charm of the World Cup has always been its surprises, yet this time, the teams considered the strongest in the world have made it to the final stage.

This tournament has been held for the first time with an expanded format of 48 countries.

As the tournament grew, there were many predictions that "more surprises would occur" and "weaker teams would cause more upsets."

However, the conclusion was different. While several countries performed well in the qualifiers and group stages, as the tournament progressed, it was ultimately the strong teams with depth, experience, and game management skills that survived.

This once again shows that the World Cup is a tournament where consistent performance over seven matches is necessary to win.

The first team to reach the semifinals was the defending champion Argentina.

They faced a tough match against Switzerland that went into extra time. In the first half, a sharp corner kick from Messi was headed in by Alexis Mac Allister, giving them a good start, but in the second half, they allowed a tying goal from Switzerland's Edon Zhegrova, bringing the game back to square one.

In the second half, there was also a variable when Switzerland's Breel Embolo was sent off, but Argentina couldn't capitalize on their numerical advantage, and the match ultimately went to extra time.

At this point, the player who emerged as the solution was Julián Álvarez.

Although he had been relatively quiet in this tournament, he scored the winning goal with a fantastic curling shot with his right foot in the second half of extra time, proving his presence once again. Lautaro Martínez then added a second goal, completing a 3-1 victory for Argentina.

Messi did not score a goal. However, he assisted the opening goal, creating another piece of history. A total of 20 goals and 10 assists in World Cup history.

This record is a legendary number that will be hard to break in the future. Now, Messi's role as a playmaker leading his team to victory shines even brighter than the race for the top scorer.

Argentina's next opponent is England. England also faced a tough match against Norway. After conceding the first goal, Jude Bellingham turned the game around single-handedly. He scored the equalizer in stoppage time of the first half and the winning goal in extra time, demonstrating why he is considered the best midfielder in the world.

This semifinal is not just a soccer match. Since the Falklands War in 1982, the two countries have maintained a special rivalry in soccer as well.

And the 'Hand of God' incident by Maradona in 1986 remains one of the most famous moments in World Cup history.

Argentina, with Messi challenging for his last World Cup title, faces England, which is aiming for its first title since 1966.

This matchup is worthy of a final just based on the story alone. The other semifinal is no less significant.

France and Spain are currently two of the strongest teams in world soccer. France is at the top level in physicality and individual skills, while Spain is praised for its possession and passing game, being the most organized team.

It would not be surprising for either team to advance. Personally, I believe this semifinal is the highest level among recent World Cups.

The fact that all four teams from the top four in the world rankings have survived indicates that it is not luck but skill. It reflects the result of the most complete teams in terms of player depth, coaching tactics, bench resources, and game management enduring until the end.

There were concerns that the prestige of the tournament might decline with the increase in participating countries to 48, but at least looking at the final four, all the best teams in the world have gathered.

Now, only two matches remain. Will Messi lift the final trophy for the last time, will Bellingham usher in a new era, will France return to the top, or will Spain begin a new golden age?

For soccer fans, it feels like there are two finals to enjoy in the best semifinal matchups ahead.