France vs Belgium 2018 World Cup Semifinals Betting Preview

Written by on July 9, 2018

It’s going to be a spectacular matchup for the first semifinal of the 2018 World Cup tournament as France and Belgium square off Tuesday in Russia. The winner would be favored on the Mybookie.ag soccer odds to win the final against either Croatia or England, who play in the othe

r semifinal on Wednesday.

At MyBookie Sportsbook we have all the information you need to keep up-to-date on all things World Cup Semifinals. So far has been a lucrative period thanks to a ton of World Cup prop bets, moneyline wagers and point spreads, there’s plenty of ways to keep it exciting.

2018 World Cup Semifinals Betting Preview: France vs Belgium

  • When: Tuesday, 2 PM ET
  • Where: Saint Petersburg Stadium, St. Petersburg, Russia
  • TV/Stream: Fox/Fox Sports Go
  • 2018 World Cup Semifinals Betting Odds: France +152 / Belgium +179 / Draw +215 (Total 2.5)


Head to Head

  • Games Played: 2
  • France Victories: 2
  • France Goals: 7
  • Belgium Goals: 3


World Cup 2018 Printable Bracket



Why Bet on France?

  • Confederation: UEFA
  • Head coach: Didier Deschamps
  • Captain: Hugo Lloris
  • FIFA Ranking: 7
  • World Cup Appearances: 15


The French advanced with a 2-0 victory over Uruguay and have yet to lose in the tournament; they did have a draw in the group stage against Denmark. Against Uruguay, Raphael Varane converted an Antoine Griezmann free-kick five minutes before halftime and then Griezmann scored in the 61st minute to put it away thanks to a terrible mistake by Uruguay keeper Fernando Muslera. Uruguay had allowed just one goal all tournament. The French, winners of the 1998 World Cup, are in the semis for the first time since 2006.

Corentin Tolisso came in for the suspended Blaise Matuidi in France’s midfield, but Matuidi will be back for this match. Tolisso had been given just 15 minutes since starting France’s opening match against Australia. France has lost none of the 20 games in which Griezmann has scored for them (W18 D2 L0) all-time. Varane’s goal his third in all competitions for France, with all three of them being headers.

France is unbeaten in their last 10 World Cup matches against South American sides (W6 D4), since a 1-2 loss vs Argentina in 1978. It’s the joint-longest ever such run against CONMEBOL nations in the competition’s history (Italy also 10 between 1982 and 2010). France has now scored with each of their last six shots on target at the 2018 World Cup, including both such efforts against Uruguay.

For this match, Djibril Sidibe is a doubt for France, but he is their only injury concern here. Coach Didier Deschamps is unlikely to make sweeping changes.

France and Belgium have played each other twice at the World Cup. The first time was back in the opening round in 1938 when the French recorded a 3-1 win. They also played in the 1986 third-place game, with France winning 4-2 in extra time. The last match between the two teams took place in 2015 with Belgium winning 4-3 with two Marouane Fellaini goals in a friendly in Paris.

Projected Line-Up

  • 1-H. Lloris
  • 4-R. Varane
  • 5-S. Umtiti
  • 21-L. Hernández
  • 2-B. Pavard
  • 6-P. Pogba
  • 13-N. Kanté
  • 12-C. Tolisso
  • 7-A. Griezmann
  • 9-O. Giroud
  • 10-K. Mbappé

Why Bet on Belgium?

  • Confederation: UEFA
  • Head Coach: Roberto Martínez
  • Captain: Eden Hazard
  • FIFA Ranking: 3
  • World Cup Appearances: 13


Belgium upset Brazil 2-1 to reach the semifinals. A first-half double, courtesy of a Fernandinho own-goal (13) and a brilliant Kevin De Bruyne (31) goal, gave Belgium a big enough cushion in order to repel a Brazilian onslaught in the second period. Roberto Martinez had been criticized for deploying De Bruyne too deep in previous encounters but pushed him higher up the pitch against Brazil.

It was the first time in 30 matches in all competitions that Brazil had conceded more than once in a game, since a 2-2 draw with Paraguay in March 2016. De Bruyne became the 100th different player to score at the 2018 World Cup (excluding own goals). Belgium is now unbeaten in 24 games in all competitions (W19 D5). Belgium has reached the World Cup semifinals for only the second time, losing out to eventual winners Argentina in 1986.

France comes in as slight favorite for the 2018 World Cup Semifinals against Belgium.

Thomas Meunier is suspended for Belgium after he received his second yellow of the World Cup in the 2-1 win over Brazil, which will hinder the Red Devils. Roberto Martinez could bring Yannick Carrasco back into the fold as a result with Nacer Chadli operating from the right. Other than that, Martinez could look to use a similar system to the one seen against Brazil, with Romelu Lukaku operating from the right and Kevin De Bruyne used through the center.

Chadli is looking forward to the France showdown and revealed that the win over Brazil means that Martinez’s men fear nobody else at this World Cup.

“It is always special to play against France,” said Chadli. “When you beat Brazil, you have no need to fear anybody else — we are playing to win the World Cup. … We respect everybody, but if we play with fear we will not be able to beat France — the game against France is the most important match of our lives.”

Belgium captain Eden Hazard has admitted that he rooted for France as a kid. The Chelsea playmaker, 27, followed Les Bleus because of their World Cup win on home soil in 1998. Hazard grew up in a French-speaking part of Belgium and moved to Lille when he was 14.

“With my brothers, we have always been more supporters of France than Belgium because we grew up with ’98,” he said. “At the time, there wasn’t the jersey of Belgium, that’s why we wore the one of France.”

Projected Line-Up

  • 1-T. Courtois
  • 5-J. Vertonghen
  • 2-T. Alderweireld
  • 15-T. Meunier
  • 20-D. Boyata
  • 6-A. Witsel
  • 7-K. De Bruyne
  • 11-Y. Carrasco
  • 10-E. Hazard
  • 14-D. Mertens
  • 9-R. Lukaku


Expert Final Score Prediction

Belgium 2 – France 1