France the team to beat? Chris Sutton predicts World Cup's last-32 matches

Sixteen of the 48 teams are heading home, but which of the sides left standing will survive all the way to the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium near New York City on 19 July? The hopes of another 16 nations will bite the dust after the first knockout round, which includes England against DR Congo and holders Argentina against surprise package Cape Verde. It was a different team who caused the biggest shock in the final set of group games, however. While sources's football expert Chris Sutton and AI still went for Cape Verde to lose against Saudi Arabia - from more than 50,000 users playing the broadcaster's new predictor game - 39% of you correctly went for a draw and 43% even backed the African side to win. Instead, it was Ecuador who caught almost everyone out this time. From more than 56,000 users predictions for that game, only 597 of you correctly backed them to beat Germany. Chris and AI were also wrong about that one but, overall, they both got 15/24 predictions right from that set of matches. Again, the users did better, with 17/24, and they still lead the way with 72 of this World Cup's 104 matches now completed. Chris has been right 41 times (57%), AI has a score of 43 (60%), but you lot are doing even better with 48 (67%). Before the tournament, Chris also picked the order he thought each of the 12 groups would finish in. He was right about seven of the winners, but only got all four teams in the correct order in three of the groups. AI's predictions have been generated using Microsoft Copilot Chat. We simply asked the tool to 'predict the results of the World Cup last-32 ties'. The new broadcaster predictor game allows readers to pick a winner from each knockout tie. PLAY WORLD CUP PREDICTOR HERE LAST-32 TIES Sunday, 28 June South Africa v Canada Los Angeles / 20:00 BST After watching South Africa at Estadio Azteca in the opening game of this tournament, I was absolutely shocked to see them finish second in Group A and make the last 32. I feel like they are here because South Korea took them too lightly in their final group game, which I understand in some respects, but I don't see Canada doing the same. Canada boss Jesse Marsch gets a bit of stick for some of his behaviour but his team have got something about them and I like the way they play. It is going to be hard for South Africa to deal with their intensity. Neither country had ever reached the knockout stage of a World Cup before, and this is a great opportunity for the co-hosts to go even further - I'll be shocked again if they don't. Sutton's prediction: 0-3 AI's prediction: 1-2 Monday, 29 June Brazil v Japan Houston / 18:00 BST I am covering this game for Radio 5 Live and I have a feeling there is going to be an upset here - although it would not count as an upset for me or my commentating colleague Ali Bruce-Ball. Japan are his dark horses for the tournament and it wouldn't be fair to him if I didn't go with him on this game. They beat Brazil for the first time when they played them in a friendly in Tokyo last October and I think they are going to beat them again here and knock them out. Whatever happens, it will be a fascinating match. Brazil could go on and win this World Cup and, if they do, it will be because of their manager, Carlo Ancelotti. He's a superb organiser, but I worry about them in the middle of the park, and I don't think they have got the legs to deal with Japan's rapid attacks. Sutton's prediction: 1-2 AI's prediction: 2-1 Germany v Paraguay Boston / 21:30 BST Germany boss Julien Nagelsmann had earned the right to make changes for their defeat by Ecuador because they had already won their group. They will be back to full strength here and we know how this game will pan out - Paraguay will defend deep and it will be up to Germany to break them down. Sutton's prediction: 2-1 AI's prediction: 3-0 Tuesday, 30 June Netherlands v Morocco Monterrey / 02:00 BST This is a really good game because both teams will be thinking they can go really far, especially because whoever wins this tie plays either South Africa or Canada next. The Netherlands impressed me during the group stage - they were pretty solid at the back and were not short of firepower. But Morocco have got great quality right through their team and they will believe they can compete with any team in the tournament. Sutton's prediction: 1-3 AI's prediction: 1-2 Ivory Coast v Norway Dallas / 18:00 BST I am at this game too, and it is a v