Mario Freitas Apr 27, 2014:

@ Charles, No, this points at the first phase. Martin's answer is surely the best choice IMO. As Paul mentions below, it's the only phase in a WC where you have a quadrangular. In the first phase you do not have games with penalties, though. I hope this footnote refers to another section or this might be confusing.

Charles R. Castleberry (asker) Apr 27, 2014:

footnote 2 refers to several games decided by penalties, but footnote is not used at all (Ireally don't know why they put it in the text)

Martin Riordan Apr 27, 2014:

@Charles As this is a footnote, can you give the original text that it is explaining?

Paul Brown Apr 27, 2014:

fase em que 4 equipes jogam entre si - This can only be the group stage. Yes, the semi-final round has four teams in total but they don't all play amongst each other. The only time in the tournament when four teams all play amongst each other is the group stage.

Charles R. Castleberry (asker) Apr 27, 2014:

Mario this is definitely about the World Cup. Unfortunately, there is no other information it comes as one of two foot notes ¹ Última partida do quadrangular (fase em que 4 equipes jogam entre si)
² Decisão por pênaltis
Does that point towards semi-finals round?

Mario Freitas Apr 27, 2014:

IMO, Quadrangular is a term used for certain tournaments where you have a final four-sided tournament, as Paul suggested. There are no semifinals or finals. The four teams play agains each other and the one that makes more points is the champ.
Now, if you're talking about the World Cup, the quadrangular final would be the semifinals, for sure, as this tournament does have semifinals and finals. In that case, Gilmar's answer is the correct one.
Finally, if the expression relates to the last match of the first phase, another type of quadrangular, since it has four teams per group, than Martin's answer is the correct one.
We need more context to see which one is being mentioned, since all three answers could be correct. You might have noticed Paul's answer has the most "agrees" because in Brazil, when you say "quadrangular", it's the type of finals without semifinals and final match. We don't use the term for the World Cup type of tournament.

Gilmar Fernandes Apr 27, 2014:

one more possibility besides the semifinals and the group stage, another idea that pops to my mind is the last four teams that play the final matches, i.e. the actual World Cup final for the 1st & 2nd place and then the one for for 3rd. and 4th place.....could this be what is meant by "quadrangular" ?

Paul Brown Apr 27, 2014:

okay, cool, in that case Martin's answer is the most accurate

Charles R. Castleberry (asker) Apr 27, 2014:

Yes Paul, after all the insights and further review I think you (and Martin) have shed the brightest light as the text states elsewhere .... (fase em que 4 equipes jogam entre si)

Paul Brown Apr 26, 2014:

Charles, are you sure it has to do with the semi-final or final rounds? If we are talking about the World Cup here then I can only think that it must refer to the group stage as all groups have four teams. Therefore, I think Martin has it spot on!