World Cup 2018 Round of 16: Bracket Predictions and Latest Match Odds

The first round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup has concluded, but the action will swiftly resume on Saturday as Portugal, France, Uruguay and Argentina help get the round-of-16 bracket up and running.

Group C winners France will be the first in action as they face a tricky face-off against resurgent Argentina, who are out to prove their critics wrong after labouring to second place in Group D.

We'll then see European champions Portugal look to impose themselves on South American side Uruguay, who have won all their matches thus far in Russia and were the only team that did not concede a goal in the group stage.

Here's a look at the bracket in full:

Read on for a preview of the first knockout round, with predictions for which teams will advance to the 2018 World Cup quarter-finals and odds for the next batch of fixtures. 

Saturday's World Cup Match Odds

France (69-50), Draw (51-25), Argentina (129-50)

Uruguay (48-25), Draw (2-1), Portugal (9-5)

All odds courtesy of OddsShark.

Round-of-16 Fixtures, Predictions

Saturday, June 30

France 3-2 Argentina AET

Uruguay 1-2 Portugal AET

Sunday, July 1

Spain 2-0 Russia

Croatia 1-0 Denmark

Monday, July 2

Brazil 3-1 Mexico AET

Belgium 3-1 Japan

Tuesday, July 3

Sweden 2-1 Switzerland

Colombia 2-2 England AET (England win on penalties)

France and Portugal to Claim Narrow Victories

For all their lustre and the three World Cup trophies shared between the two, France and Argentina will meet on Saturday in a clash between two juggernauts that have failed to inspire as hoped in Russia so far.

ESPN FC pundit Craig Burley referred to La Albiceleste as a "shambles." They needed a late Marcos Rojo winner to see them past Nigeria 2-1 and into the last 16, with Lionel Messi also scoring his first of the tournament.

Jorge Sampaoli's grip on Argentina's affairs looks to have been weakened by their frail campaign in Group D, with the coach forced to stamp his authority after suggestions he'd lost control of the squad, per the Guardian's Ed Aarons.

Didier Deschamps, meanwhile, has harmony among his French team; they just haven't been very good, despite going unbeaten to top Group C.

Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi showed against Nigeria that he's able to turn games when it counts, and writer Christopher Clarey showed how Les Bleus are bracing themselves:

Argentina's tactics appeared more sensible against Nigeria, but they're still a team in disarray. One would expect the more at-peace France to proceed considering the talent in their ranks along with a more peaceful run to the round of 16.

And just as Messi could come to dictate the outcome of our first knockout matchup, Cristiano Ronaldo bears a heavy burden in seeing Portugal past Uruguay in the second, via Fox Soccer (U.S. only):

Uruguay look a dangerous foe after scoring five and conceding none in the group stage, but Portugal are sure to present them with a challenge beyond anything Russia, Egypt or Saudi Arabia could muster.

There's also a certain aura of fate surrounding these two last-16 fixtures, as FIFA YouTuber Bateson87 pointed out a Portugal win could lead to a Messi vs. Ronaldo storyline in the last eight:

Uruguay have been a defensive beast to contend with in Russia thus far, but circumventing the plans of these types of sides is what Ronaldo has made a living from.

He'll come up against some familiar faces in the Atletico Madrid centre-back pairing of Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez, but the Euro 2016 winners look to have enough about them to break the resistance.