The Heat Map rolls into Thursday with the final round of group matches threatening to completely tear up the script for some of the tournament’s biggest names.

First up, the co-hosts USA face a defining moment as they take on Türkiye in Kansas City. Having lit up the early stages, Mauricio Pochettino’s men need a flawless performance to secure top spot in the group and hand themselves a smoother path through the knockouts. The gossip out of the American camp suggests the intense midwestern heat is playing havoc with recovery times, and there are whispers that their talismanic frontline might see some tactical rotation to keep legs fresh. Türkiye are a fiercely proud, emotional side who will treat this as a standalone knockout match, meaning the US rearguard cannot afford a single second of complacency if they want to keep the home party bouncing.

Meanwhile, out west in the spectacular surroundings of Los Angeles, it’s an absolute powder keg as Portugal face Colombia. Roberto Martínez’s side have endured a thoroughly bumpy ride in the tournament so far, and the inside word from the Portuguese base is one of high anxiety. Colombia’s fluid, high-octane transition style is a nightmare matchup for an ageing Portuguese defence that has looked distinctly off the pace in earlier outings. With a fanatical South American crowd turning SoFi Stadium into a virtual home game for Colombia, this will be a pure test of nerve. One bad defensive calculation, and one of Europe’s traditional heavyweights could be looking at a devastatingly early flight home.

The calculators are working overtime, the tension is suffocating, and the group stage safety net has officially been shredded.

Whatever happens on that pitch, The Heat Map won’t let you down.