France vs. Norway

Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Friday, June 26th, 3 p.m. ET

Embed from Getty Images

The standout game of the group stage is finally here as France and Norway meet in a match that many had circled before the tournament even began. Both sides have won their opening two games and sit on six points, with top spot in the group now on the line. 

Unlike some of the other third-round fixtures, there is plenty at stake here. The winner will secure first place, and both sides will fancy their chances of getting the job done. France is expected to make very few changes based on the projected lineups, while there is speculation that Norway could rotate their squad. If that proves to be the case, it could create even more opportunities for a French attack that has looked excellent through the opening two matches. 

This tournament has been dominated by star forwards, and outside of Lionel Messi, no two players have stolen more headlines than Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland. Both men scored braces against Senegal and Iraq, respectively, setting up a fascinating battle between two of the world’s best players. 

As good as Haaland has been, I think Mbappé is the player more likely to shine in this matchup. France’s captain has looked sensational through the opening two games, scoring four goals and producing moments of real quality. Given the opponent, I was surprised to see him priced at just -110 to score anytime. 

Norway deserves plenty of credit for what they have done going forward, but defensively, there are still concerns. Over two matches, they have allowed 2.51 expected goals and have looked vulnerable whenever opponents have been able to control possession. Against a side with France’s quality and attacking depth, those issues could become a real problem. 

Mbappé has now scored 16 goals in 16 World Cup appearances, an incredible return that highlights just how often he delivers on the biggest stage. With four goals already in this tournament and a favorable matchup against a Norwegian defense that still has plenty of question marks around it, I think France’s star man finds the net again. My favorite play in this match is Kylian Mbappé to score anytime at -110. 

World Cup Best Bet: Kylian Mbappe Anytime Goalscorer -110

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