World Cup semifinal picks, predictions: Best bets for Spain-France, England-Argentina

The World Cup semifinals are set, and they feature the world’s top four teams: France, Spain, England and Argentina, all of which have previously won the World Cup. This is the third time that all four semifinalists are previous champions (1970, 1990), and it’s the first time that the top four teams in FIFA’s rankings have all made the World Cup semifinals (since rankings began in 1992). That achievement was admittedly aided by FIFA seeding the top four teams in separate quadrants for the first time, but all four still got through the group stage and an extra knockout round to be here.

France, Spain, England and Argentina were also the four betting favorites before the tournament, with Brazil’s title odds similar to Argentina at most books. None of the four teams have lost a game at this tournament. Only Spain and England dropped any points, each drawing against an African side (Spain vs.

Cape Verde, England vs. DR Congo) despite dominating the scoring chances. On paper, the semifinals couldn’t look any better.

Here are my best bets for the two games:Tuesday, July 14France vs. Spain France-Spain both teams to score (-130) This is the match everyone has been anticipating since December’s draw, as the two tournament favorites clash in the semifinals — and it’s the toughest game in the tournament to handicap. No realistic outcome would shock me.

France’s attack understandably gets the headlines. Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele are the first pair of teammates to score five goals each at a World Cup since title-winning Brazil’s Ronaldo and Rivaldo in 2002. They also both rank among the tournament’s top six in chances created, as France leads the tournament with 16 goals and a +14 goal difference.

Spain isn’t far behind with 11 goals and 11.7 non-penalty expected goals, second most in the tournament. At the other end, neither team has surrendered many scoring chances in the tournament.

Spain has allowed one goal in six games, and France has allowed two, both in the group