The World Cup’s surprising final four

MOSCOW – When World Cup players and coaches are asked to explain an almost inexplicable situation or outcome, the common response comes with a shrug and, in various languages, an unsatisfying response: “That’s football.”

What has unfolded here over three weeks can be neither explained in full nor casually dismissed as something that has happened for reasons only known to the soccer gods.

That’s football? More like, that’s not normal.

There are, though, some ways to make sense of it all.

First, the facts: Germany, Brazil, Spain, Argentina and Portugal are gone. That’s the reigning champion, the alltime trophy holder, a global titan, a five-time finalist and the defending European winner – the last two of which employ the sport’s two most electrifying players, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Anyone claiming to have predicted the specific semifinalists before the competition began – France, Belgium, England and Croatia – is lying. Separately, each carried plausible hope of making it to the final week, but the thought of all four advancing was farfetched.

The last time the top four did not include at least one from the power group of Brazil, Argentina, Germany and Italy was, well, never. Since 1970, two or more from that quartet have comprised the semifinal field in every tournament, except 1998.

This year, France is the most decorated, having won the 1998 title at home and finishing second eight years later. Belgium last made it this far in 1986, England in 1990 and Croatia in ‘98. All three

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