The World Cup has reached its penultimate stage, with the four pre-tournament favorites—France, Spain, England, and Argentina—all advancing to the semifinals. France currently leads the odds to win the tournament at +150, having won all six matches without requiring extra time and conceding only two goals.
France will face Spain in the first semifinal in Dallas, followed by a match between England and Argentina in Atlanta.
Semifinal Matchups
France, the winner of the last World Cup and a finalist in the prior one, has been the consensus favorite. However, the value on them to win the tournament is considered diminished. Similarly, Kylian Mbappe is heavily favored for both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards, with odds reflecting his strong performance.
Despite France's dominance, analysis suggests that Spain, despite conceding only one goal, has another offensive gear to unlock. Spain's key attacker, Lamine Yamal, has recorded one goal and no assists, while Mikel Oyarzabal and Mikel Merino are the only players with multiple goals for the team. The belief is that if Spain's star players elevate their game, their strong defense can lead them to victory. Spain has a history of success in recent major tournaments, having defeated both France and England en route to their European Championship title two summers ago.
Golden Boot Race
In the Golden Boot race, England's Harry Kane is a notable contender despite trailing leaders Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, who are tied with eight goals each. Kane has six goals and is trailing Mbappe by two assists and Messi by one, with assists serving as a tie-breaker. Kane's prospects are bolstered by the emergence of Jude Bellingham as an offensive threat for England. This increased offensive pressure from Bellingham may draw defensive attention away from Kane, potentially creating more scoring opportunities for the England captain, particularly against an Argentinian defense that has shown vulnerabilities in earlier knockout rounds.