Brazil v France: The world champions head into this game looking for their 12th straight win at finals tournaments since being beaten 3-0 by France in Paris eight years ago. Their opponents, by contrast, had not won at this level since that night until two second-half goals against Togo just about kept them in the competition.
As they did over Spain, however, the French go into this game buoyed by their record against their opponents for while the South Americans have had the better of their various friendly encounter you have to go back to 1958 to find the last time they came out on top in a World Cup encounter. There is also a sense in the French camp that, having gotten this far, they no longer have a great deal to lose.
The coach may beg to differ on that point but having hit upon the formula over the last few weeks that he had been so desperately searching for over the past couple of years, Raymond Domenech is highly unlikely to tinker with his side. Key players like Zinedine Zidane and Patrick Vieira look to be warming to the challenge of this tournament while relative newcomers like Franck Ribery and Eric Abidal thrived last time out against the Spanish.
The French won their world title in 1998 despite their strikers failing to score after the second group game. Here, one suspects however, they could probably do with Thierry Henry rediscovering his club form against a capable looking Brazilian defence.
For Carlos Alberto Parreira there will be a few decisions to be made during the run up to this evening's kick-off. Emerson and Kaka both picked up knee injuries in the win over Ghana and the coach must make a call on whether to replace them with Gilberto Silva and Juninho respectively. The defensive midfielder looks the more likely to miss out.
In attack, there is also the question of Adriano who has been singularly unimpressive to date but who just might have saved his skin with the goal he scored against the Africans earlier in the week.
Brazil (4-2-3-1)
Dida; Cafu, Lucio, Juan, Roberto Carlos; Gilberto Silva, Ze Roberto; Kaka, Ronaldinho, Robinho; Ronaldo
Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira
France (4-5-1)
Barthez; Sagnol, Thuram, Gallas, Abidal; Vieira, Makelele, Ribery, Zidane, Malouda; Henry
Coach: Raymond Domenech
