• when in parentheses, the numbers⁄letters provisionally serve to identify the match indicated right above them – these matches take place in the Round of Sixteen (matches identified by numbers in parentheses) and in the Quarter-Finals (matches identified by letters in parentheses);
• when no parentheses are used, a pair of numbers⁄letters (between which appears an " x ") identify Squads playing in the Quarter- and Semi-Finals, and these numbers⁄letters refer, each, back to the winner of the respective match played in the Round of Sixteen or the Quarter Finals.
           All these provisional references just spelled out will of course be updated (i.e., substituted by the proper country-name reference abbreviation), as the World Cup gets underway and match results become known. So, stay tuned!