For the first time since the World Cup expanded to 32 teams, all eight group winners have made the quarter-finals. The last eight is also split evenly between America and Europe, so the battle of the continents remains alive and well.
The seven World Cups held here in the Americas have failed to produce a European winner. On the flip side, Brazil are the only nation from the Americas to achieve a win on European soil - when they triumphed 5-2 in the final against hosts Sweden 56 years ago.
At this stage Europe has often dominated. When Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay reached the last eight in South Africa four years ago, it was the first time representation from the Americas had been so strong since the Mexico World Cup in 1970.
The figures started to stack up a little more attractively with two teams from the Americas at this stage in 1998, 2002 and 2006 — and now we have the face-off here.
Brazil is the only team to have won the World Cup in four different continents. Once in Europe (1958 Sweden), once in South America (1962 Chile), twice in North America (1970 Mexico and 1994 United States) and once in Asia (2002 Korea/Japan).