Alan Brandi and Abdessamad Mohammed couldn’t have imagined being at Uzbekistan 2024 when qualifying for it began two years ago. The former candidly conceded he felt his best days were behind him; the latter’s nation had never reached a FIFA Futsal World Cup™.

The veterans aren’t just in Central Asia, but illuminating the competition. Brandi is now second on the scoring chart, getting the on-fire Marcel glancing nervously over his shoulder, while Mohammed is the top assister.

Their latest exhibitions helped Argentina overpower returning Croatia and France see off Thailand. La Albiceleste will now stay in Tashkent to take on Kazakhstan, Portugal’s conquerors, in a blockbuster quarter-final, while Les Bleus will switch to Bukhara to play Paraguay.

Thailand 2-5 France
Thailand goals: Suphawut Thueanklang (25), Narongsak Wingwon (33)
France goals: Steve Bendali (9), Mamadou Toure (23), Abdessamad Mohammed (29), Souheil Mouhoudine (38), Ayoub Saadaoui (39)
Player of the Match: Abdessamad Mohammed (France)

Francis Lokoka told FIFA pre-tournament that he was the craziest member of Raphael Reynaud’s cast. “It’s really that kamikaze-like attitude that makes you a good goalkeeper,” he said. Everyone inside Bukhara Universal Sports Complex saw his wild side – and that he’s a good goalkeeper and then some – today. He geed up the spectators, got into a slanging match with the opposition coach, and celebrated every save – and there were plenty – exuberantly. His co-star, the returning Mohammed, decoded Thailand at the other end. Could they become the second FIFA Futsal World Cup debutants, after Colombia in 2012, to reach the semi-finals?

Quotes
“The key was the pressing. We knew they had a very good pivot [in Muhammad Osamanmusa], so for us the key was to deprive the pivot of the ball, and we knew we would make the difference on the wings. The duel with ‘Osa’ was a great duel, but unfortunately there had to be a winner and a loser.”
Souheil Mouhoudine

“The key today was to harass them and win back the ball as much as possible. We did it and, little by little, turned the game in our favour. I congratulate the whole team, who were exemplary. It’s a great joy to be among the best eight teams in the world.”
Raphael Reynaud, France coach

Stat
Abdessamad Mohammed won his 110th cap, outranking Stephane Basson to become the third-most-capped France international behind Sid Belhaj and Djamel Haroun. The 33-year-old marked the occasion by extending his record tally of goals for a Bleus player to 82, and becoming the outright top assister at Uzbekistan (six).

Argentina 2-0 Croatia
Argentina goals: Alan Brandi (2), Matias Rosa (24)
Player of the Match: Matias Rosa (Argentina)

Matias Lucuix’s men, defensively and offensively, look the business. Aside from shipping five against Angola, when they had already qualified for the knockout phase, they have conceded just twice in three games. At the north of the court, pivot power is powering down rivals. Brandi, Rosa and Cristian Borruto now have 14 goals between them. They must now prepare for the Kazakhstan conundrum, while Croatia will return home having done themselves proud at a first global finals in 24 years.

Quotes
“We knew that if we lost, we would go home. We saw this happen to big teams. I think we played a great match and deserved to win. Now it’s Kazakhstan. It will be very difficult because they are very, very good with the flying goalkeeper. We’ll study them and do our best.”
Alan Brandi, Argentina pivot

“I think we played a good game, carried out our plan, but Argentina are one of the best sides in the world and they played a better game. You learn a lot from playing in the World Cup. It was a great experience and I think we’re smarter for it.”
Dario Marinovic, Croatia winger

Stat
Alan Brandi moved on to 16 FIFA Futsal World Cup goals. He and team-mate Cristian Borruto are now just one shy of entering the competition’s list of all-time top 10 marksmen.