Dembélé and Kounde, FC Barcelona's sole semi-finalists

Dembélé and Kounde, FC Barcelona's sole semi-finalists

After France beat England 2-1, the duo became the club's only two players to make it into the last four of the Qatar World Cup

Ousmane Dembéle and Jules Kounde are the only FC Barcelona players who will feature in the final four of the FIFA World Cup after Raphinha, Frenkie de Jong and Memphis all crashed on penalties in the quarter finals. 

Penalty pain for Netherlands and Brazil

Raphinha played the first 55 minutes of Brazil's game with Croatia, in which the South Americans looked to be headed for the semis thanks to Neymar's extra time goal before Bruno Petković nicked one back for the Croats right at the end. Dominik Livaković was as brilliant in the shootout as he had been against Japan in the previous round, and it was the Europeans who progressed. 

Frenkie de Jong and Memphis met with a similar fate. The Dutch looked to be going out when Argentina led 2-0, but two late goals, both from Wout Weghorst, earned them an extra thirty minutes of football. There were chances for Holland to win it, but it all went down to a penalty shootout, and that was where it all ended. 

Smiles for Kounde and Dembélé

The only joy for the Barça contingent in Qatar came in the last of the four quarters finals. In a suspense-filled game, the French overcame England 2-1, with the winner coming from Giroud off an assist from former Barça man Antoine Griezmann. England had the chance to equalise, but Harry Kane sent his penalty over the bar and it will France who take on the competition's biggest surprise package, Morocco, in the semi-finals.

Força Barça
Força Barça

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