And eight became four. With no more teams being eliminated from the McFifa game now, fantasy managers at least no longer have to second-guess who’ll be on the next plane home. We’ve rolled out the captains polls once more and shone a light on some of our select alternative candidates for two more crucial fantasy match-ups.

The polls are throwing out all the usual faces ahead of the semi-finals, so if you want to stay safely in the pack you know who you should be backing this week – Wesley Sneijder and David Villa. While Holland and Spain are the bookie’s favourites I am surprised by the lack of backing for the alternative picks – fear, as much as opportunity, being the impetus behind these choices. Although the undoubted talent and track record these gentleman have so far no doubt plays it’s part as well.

If you are chasing, and if you are not too averse to avoiding the favourite candidates for captaincy this round, then follow through to read the Scout’s choice differentials for the semi-finals…

Johnny Heitinga – £7.7m / Giovanni Van Bronckhorst – £7.2m / Joris Mathijsen – £7.6m

Of all the remaining defenders left in the game, it is the Dutch contingent that is perennially under-selected – which goes against the grain of the fact that Paddy Power have them as the favourites of the remaining sides to keep a clean sheet in the semi-finals.

If you’re looking for a clean sheet, and someone not heavily backed then any of this trio are your best bet – unlike Khalid Boulahrouz they will also be expected to compete in the final round. Mathijsen was given the all clear to compete after an injury scare forced him out of the quarter final at short notice.

Victorino – £3.4m

Uruguay have worked wonders to get this far in the World Cup, they won the first two World Cups they entered and are now two games away from rolling back the years and winning their third; in no part thanks to the solid back-line that they have built upon in the tournament so far. Fucile is carrying a knock (and suspended anyway) and fingers all over Uruguay will be crossed on the fitness of captain Diego Lugano so Victorino is your defender of choice when playing the “alternative” game in this defensive line.

Jerome Boateng – £6.1m

The new Manchester City signing lost his place in the German starting line-up pre-tournament to young Bayern Munich upstart Holger Badstuber and resultantly could do nothing more than twiddle his thumbs on the bench for the first two group games of this tournament. However after a less than savoury performance by Badstuber against Serbia he has since jostled back into position in the starting line-up and never looked back. Selected by just 4.1% of managers and building a strong partnership down the left hand side with Lukas Podolski he will not only look to provide defensive returns, but look for the attacking bonus trying to capitalise on gaps left in the wake of his opposing figure Sergio Ramos.

Joan Capdevilla – £7.7m

On the other side of the semi-final and opposite flank of the aforementioned Ramos is Capdevilla, another equally probing and offensive left-back looking to get forward as often as he can. My own tipping of his selection in some other fantasy games hasn’t lead to heavy duty selection for the left-back in the McFifa game – at only 4.0% he is the alternative to the masses when boosting your Spanish ranks.

Piotr Trochowski – £5.7m

The yellow card, and subsequent one game ban, rewarded to Thomas Müller was certainly a little harsh on a young player who has dazzled at this World Cup so far. However, from a fantasy perspective it opens up the opportunity for investment in a player most of your rivals wouldn’t even think of. If Jogi Löw wants to continue in the 4-2-3-1 shape against Spain that has successfully got Germany as far as the semi-finals, then Trochowski is Müller’s ready made replacement – he has even come off the bench to replace Müller in the last 3 games.

At a bargain basement price of £5.7m -though with Brazil and Argentina knocked out, all of the wheeling and dealing perhaps begins to feel a bit moot- and selected by just 3.1% the right winger is perhaps the sparkliest differential of them all.

Fernando Torres – £9.1m / Cesc Fabregas – £8.8m / Fernando Llorente – £6.4m

This decision will basically bear the brunt of news from the Spain camp over the next day or so, if Del Bosque hints or says Torres will play once more then he will continue to have potential as a valuable differential – he’s rusty, but he’s still Fernando Torres.

However if word from the Spain camp is that the camel’s back has finally broken, it will add potential for an altogether new differential. Llorente and Cesc have been the most recent replacements of Torres when his number was up so stand at the front of the queue right now – we’re all too aware of Fabregas’ capabilities, and Llorente in his brief cameo provided a new outlet for Spain. If only Spain played on Tuesday we could even have the line-ups before transfer windows closed, but alas we don’t – so for now, we wait.

Miroslav Klose – £9.1m

Same as before really. He’s on more radars after his brace against Argentina after my last tip, but still only selected by 11% of managers at the time of writing. He’s a World Cup legend, only Ronaldo has more goals than him at this tournament and has scored 4 goals in just over 3 games – it’s hard not to back him. Let’s hope he continues to be a better pick than Jogi Löw.

Edinson Cavani – £4.3m / Washington Abreu – £5.1m

The hand of Luis Suarez god kept Uruguay in this tournament by a fingertip, quite literally – but his subsequent suspension alongside untimely injuries to the likes of Lodeiro has left a space or two open in the Uruguay starting XI.

Cavani, while not getting many fires started in the hearts and minds of the viewing public has at least started Uruguay’s last four matches and comes priced at a low, low £4.3m – financially providing more than enough room for a sideways glance. His team-mate Abreu is an elder statesmen of the squad, and is one goal shy of Héctor Scarone’s all-time goal-scoring record for Uruguay – he will undoubtedly be knocking on Óscar Tabárez’ door right now pleading for a start.

He’ll also be high on life after scoring the cheeky, and vital, shoot-out penalty against Ghana (unlike some people). Uruguay will have announced their line-ups before deadline closure so you’ll have the safety of selection as well.

Dirk Kuyt – £7.9m

Wesley Sneijder may have made Julio Cesar cry to his mummy, but equally so the hard work of Dirk Kuyt through this tournament has been instrumental in getting the Netherlands to where they are right now. He is the least selected of the Dutch front four (the others being Robin, Sneijder and Robben), has earned the most bonus points out of the whole Oranje contingent and plays his football like a dog with a stick -that’s a good thing- he never gives up. If you’ve got a spare strikers spot then Kuyt will undoubtedly be on hand to try and score a rebound or two for your fantasy squad.

Not much time left to play about in tournament, if you’re chasing a lead it’s getting close to that time to stick your neck out, and of course, pray a little – whether it be in captain or selection, may the McFifa god be with you.