World Cup Tips: Who Will Lift the Trophy in Qatar?
World Cup Betting Tips:
Argentina and France will meet in the World Cup final in the early hours of Monday morning after both teams made short work of their semi-final opponents.
Betting sites are offering a huge array of markets on the big game, including handicaps, correct scores, goalscorer bets and much more.
However, the simplest bet of all just requires a straightforward prediction on which team will lift the trophy at the end of the game.
This popular market includes regular time, extra-time and a penalty shootout, if needed, and most bookmakers cannot split the teams.
For example, most bookies are all offering 1.91 on France lifting the trophy and 1.91 on Argentina lifting the trophy.
Who will hold their nerve on the greatest stage? We have assessed each team’s chances of lifting the trophy and delivered our verdict.
Why France Can Lift The Trophy
France’s key players simply know how to get the job done in knockout stage matches at this tournament and that’s why they entered the tournament as one of the favourites on World Cup betting sites.
They bulldozed their way to World Cup glory back in 2018, and they have been equally impressive this time around.
A few of the cast members have changed, with N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba notable absentees through injury, but Hugo Lloris, Raphael Varane, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud have been very reliable.
Newcomers like Ousmane Dembélé and Aurélien Tchouaméni have starred, meaning that Kanté, Pogba and Karim Benzema have not been too badly missed.
Les Bleus swept aside Australia and Denmark in the group stage, allowing manager Didier Deschamps to rest his key men for the final match, with qualification already assured.
They returned to the starting XI for a routine 3-1 win against Poland, which propelled France into a quarter-final clash with England.
That was arguably their hardest task of the tournament, as they rode their luck at times, but they ultimately scraped through.
The French were clinical in key moments, whereas England were not, which underscored the notion that Deschamps’ men are simply knockout stage specialists.
They were not entirely convincing against Morocco either, but once again, they took their chances at key times.
The Atlas Lions had only conceded once in five games at the tournament, and they were fresh from keeping clean sheets against Spain and Portugal, but it took France just five minutes to open the scoring.
They will now bid to become the first team to win back-to-back World Cups since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
Mbappe, Giroud, Griezmann, Varane and Lloris have been there, done that and got the T-shirt, and their experience could ultimately prove decisive.
France are a 2.75 punt with Bet365 to win the game in normal time, and history is within their grasp.
Why Argentina Can Lift The Trophy
There is a sense of destiny about Argentina captain Lionel Messi finally getting his hands on the one elite trophy that has eluded him throughout his distinguished career.
He led La Albiceleste to the 2014 World Cup final, only for them to suffer a 1-0 defeat to a well-drilled Germany team.
However, Argentina are a tougher nut to crack these days. They ended a 28-year major trophy drought when they won Copa America last year, and they were also unbeaten in their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Their 36-match unbeaten streak came to an abrupt, ignominious end when they slumped to a shock 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in their opener.
That led many people to write off Argentina’s chances of World Cup success this year, but Messi said they learned from the experience.
Since then, they have beaten Mexico 2-0, Poland 2-0, Australia 2-1, the Netherlands on penalties following a 2-2 draw and Croatia 3-0.
Messi, who is playing like a man possessed right now, described the games as “five finals”, and they have passed every test since losing to Saudi Arabia.
Julian Alvarez, Man City’s diligent, deadly young striker, has proved to be the perfect foil for Messi’s majestic talents.
That duo blew Croatia away in the semi-finals - a superb feat when you consider how strong the Croats were at the tournament and the pair are also two of the top contenders in the Golden Boot betting odds.
Argentina have earned three clean sheets from five games, compared to just one for France, and they are on fire in attack, so they will take some stopping.
However, they are still 3.0 outsiders on the best football betting sites to win the game in 90 minutes.
Who Will Prevail In The World Cup?
This looks like developing into a close-fought battle between two confident teams.
Both goalkeepers have been solid when called upon, and both teams kept clean sheets in their semi-final victories, that’s why both Hugo Lloris and Emiliano Martinez are right at the forefront of the Golden Glove betting odds.
In the absence of Kante, there is little to choose between the midfields, and they both boast superstars in attack.
The personal duel between PSG teammates Messi and Mbappe for the Golden Ball award will provide an intriguing sideshow to proceedings.
Yet the French have an uncanny knack of winning big matches, thanks to their clinical nature in front of goal and their strong game management.
On the whole, they boast a superior squad, and they should have just about enough quality to get the job done on Monday, so France to lift the trophy at 1.91 looks appealing.
