Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has rivalled Eric Cantona in the oddest football soundbite stakes with a beauty about maintaining the balance between attack and defence.
Ahead of his side's last-16 match with South Korea, he said: "There's a saying among coaches that football is like a short blanket: it covers your head or it covers your feet, and if it covers your head, your toes are in the air."
France striker Thierry Henry has hinted he feels karma may have had a role in his country's disastrous World Cup campaign.
Henry helped secure France's place in the tournament when his handball went unpunished and led to the goal that beat the Republic of Ireland in a play-off.
But after France finished bottom of their group in South Africa, with only one point from three games, Henry said: "They always say you get what you deserve."
United States coach Bob Bradley believes his side can capitalise on finishing top of their group, ahead of England, by reaching the final.
Bradley's side take on Ghana in the round of 16, with the winner facing either Uruguay or South Korea in the quarter-finals.
"If we continue to build on the successes so far we can go to the end," Bradley said.
"We try hard not to get ahead of ourselves but at the same time everybody has this idea that if everybody gives their best effort, if everybody puts everything they have into it and if things go our way then we can travel far."
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