Europe’s share of the spots at a World Cup has decreased dramatically in recent decades, from boasting 14 of 24 berths in Italy in 1990, to 16 out of 48 now.

The rest of the world has therefore seen its share of the places shoot up, with Africa having 10 teams this year compared to just five in Qatar in 2022.

But now that we are down to the business end, Europe is dominating -- in fact, six teams in the quarter-finals is an increase on four years ago, when five European sides remained at this stage.

The 2002 World Cup remains an outlier, when only four European teams made the quarter-finals.

In football, Europe is where the wealth is concentrated, with the vast majority of the world’s top talent playing in the continent’s biggest leagues.

Western European academies see the best coaches produce the most talented youngsters, and many countries elsewhere have benefited from this.