Nineteen World Cup stars on edge as they risk being banned for semi-finals

THE World Cup has now well and truly hit the business stage of the tournament with it all to play for.

But some players have to be more cautious than others, or risk watching from the sidelines.

That's because two yellow cards in the competition is enough to earn a one-game ban.

The numbers are reset in the last four, meaning only a red card can see a player miss the final.

But that means NINETEEN World Cup stars one rash challenge away from missing the semis.

Remarkably NONE of them are English, with the Three Lions not having received a single booking so far.

The nation with the most are Portugal, who qualified to the last eight by hammering Switzerland 6-1.

Bruno Fernandes, Danilo Pereira, Ruben Neves, Joao Felix, Ruben Dias are all a booking away from a ban.

Their next opponents Morocco, who stunned Spain on penalties, have three in Sofyan Amrabat, Abdelhamid Sabiri, and Romain Saiss.

While England have nobody at risk, the French on the other hand have Aurelien Tchouameni and Jules Kounde to be cautious of.

Croatia, beaten in the final by France four years ago, will be wary of ex-Premier League pair Luka Modric and Dejan Lovren on bookings.

Their opponents, the in-form Brazil, have trio Fred, Eder Militao, and Bruno Guimaraes carrying cards.

In a battle of the big boys, Argentina play Netherlands on Friday, with both risking a pair of suspensions.

Lionel Messi's Argentina have Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuna a booking away from a ban.

And Netherlands take Nathan Ake, Matthijs de Ligt into the game a caution away from suspension.