5 shots from Day 19 - More boy tantrums from 'set-upon' Neymar

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, commonly known as Neymar Jr REUTERS/Grigory Dukor

• Go, go away from Mexico

Neymar and his supporting cast beat Mexico 2-0 to move into the last eight. And so the curse continues. Mexico stop at the last 16 for the seventh successive tournament. Shame for ‘El Tri’ as they are nicknamed. But at least they were in the last 16. Look at Die Mannschaft of Germany – they’re already on their holidays. The Mexico coach, Juan Carlos Osorio, praised his squad for their efforts in which they beat Germany and South Korea in the group stages before going down gamely to Brazil.

"I'd like to say that playing at such a level against a team like Brazil, Mexico have shown that they are a top team," he added. And the remedy to kill the curse? Osorio says he believes his country’s footballers need to seek it in foreign fields. Eleven of the 23 play in Europe while two ply their weekly trade in the United States.

"I think Mexican football needs to have more players playing abroad,” he added. “So they can match themselves up against the best.” Presumably he doesn’t suggest Germany.

• Boy tantrum from Brazil

“You’re all simply horrible to me.” That in essence appears to be what Neymar is saying after the latest barrage of criticism over his antics while playing for his country. During the last 16 game in Samara, Neymar got involved a tussle with the Mexico midfielder Miguel Layun. It looked like Layun had stepped on Neymar and the Brazilian suggested as much as he grimaced in agony on the turf. Brazil coach Tite was adamant that there had been shenanigans.

"Look, I think it's more an attempt to undermine me than anything else," said Neymar. "I don't care much for criticism, or praise, because this can influence your attitude.” Oh really? Nomar added: “In the last two matches I didn't talk to the press because I don't want to I just have to play, help my teammates, help my team.” But you’re not helping yourself, lad. Get up, get on with it and score some goals.

• Comeback kids

Belgium prevented another World Cup upset with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Japan. Roberto Martinez’s men were 2-0 down in Rostov-on-Don but got lucky when Jan Vertonghen’s header looped over the Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima. Marouane Fellaini headed in the second and the third as refreshingly old school – Spain take note. As the clock entered the final seconds of stoppage time, the Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois caught a Japan corner.

He rolled the ball into the path of Kevin de Bruyne who steamed upfield, Thomas Meunier was haring off on the right, de Bruyne passed to him and he carried on, Romelu Lukaku’s dummy run took a defender with him leaving an unmarked Nacer Chadli to sweep past a prone Kawashimi. Simple. Devastating. Three passes. 3-2.

• Tactics? What tactics? Part I

The super smooth Belgium coach Roberto Martinez should try his hand at international diplomacy should he ever get tired of football. Following his team’s spectacular revival, a few curmudgeons tried to highlight his and his team’s ineptitude for going 2-0 down to a side they should have been beating. “Today is not a day to talk about systems,” said Smoothinez. “You can analyse the performance. You can analyse the game. We had over 20 opportunities in the attacking goalmouth. The reality is we went 2-0 down and then you have to find solutions and a reaction but what you have to find more than anything is the desire and the togetherness of a group of players that are desperate to perform. It’s not about low points in our performance, you have to congratulate Japan.” Get him into a war zone.

• Tactics? What tactics? Part II

Marouane Fellaini is, at 194 centimetres, the tallest outfield player in the Belgium squad. Only goalkeepers Thibaut Courtois and Koen Casteels look down on him. On came Fellaini and Nacer Chadli for Belgium when they were 2-0 down and they changed the complexion of the game. Belgium coach Roberto Martinez said their runs from deep caused the Japanese problems. Nothing to do with the size of the chap, eh Roberto? Fellaini headed in the equaliser. It was his 17th international goal. And when it went in, the Japanese gig looked well and truly up. “The second goal that we conceded affected us less than the first goal that Japan conceded,” said Martinez. “It was that sort of game. Mentally you had to be very strong. You didn’t have to accept that you were in a position to lose something. I felt that my players always had that belief that we could get back into it.” They certainly did. Next up, tantrum boy and Brazil.