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Our next match preview will be the last quarterfinal matchup between the Group B winner, England, and the Group D winner, France. France is the returning World Cup winner, led by the tournament's leading goalscorer, Kylian Mbappé. England, meanwhile, is vying for their first championship in 56 years.
Now that we've reached the quarterfinals, teams are one win away from securing a top-four finish in the world. The team at RotoBaller has you covered for all your World Cup needs. We'll bring you DFS articles, game previews, and betting picks throughout the competition.
Before you read on, remember these essential things: Betting on sports should be fun. If you aren't having fun with it, stop. And never bet what you can't afford to lose. Follow the team on Twitter (@LucidMediaDFS, @PhilOfSports, @EuanOrYouOut, @df_solutions, @Mark_Kieffer, @RichKingFF, @Baseball_Jimbo, and myself, @wagmifantasy), and reach out to any of us if you ever have any soccer questions or need advice on any of this.
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England Team Breakdown
The Three Lions have outscored opponents 12-2 through their first four matches this World Cup. They have rattled off back-to-back 3-0 victories, with the most recent being against Senegal in the round of sixteen. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has tallied three shutouts and eight different players have scored for the English thus far.
Strengths: Through four matches, England is tied with Portugal for the most goals scored in tournament play. The English are abundant in attacking options. Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford lead the team with three goals each. Harry Kane, who leads the field with three assists this World Cup, is one goal away from tying England's all-time international scoring record. England's attack is as intimidating as any.
Weaknesses: We saw in the match against the USA that England's midfield is susceptible to a talented opposing group. Declan Rice, Jordan Henderson, and 19-year-old Jude Bellingham have all had great tournaments thus far, but the trio has not played against an elite midfield yet. Although the French are missing their best mids, they still could give England problems and disrupt the English attack.
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France Team Breakdown
France is tied for the third-most goals through four games of tournament play, netting nine goals thus far. France's lone loss in the World Cup came against Tunisia, in a game where nine starters sat. Otherwise, the French have had three convincing victories, with the most recent being a 3-1 victory over Poland in the round of sixteen.
Strengths: The French attack, featuring Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Antoine Griezmann, is an intimidating bunch that has more speed and skill than most back lines can handle. Mbappé is the leading goalscorer so far this tournament with five goals of his own. In what shapes up to be a highscoring affair, the pace of play Dembélé and Mbappé bring to the table may give England problems on the counterattack.
Weaknesses: The French midfield had been decimated with injuries leading up to the tournament, losing N'Golo Kanté, Paul Pogba, and Christopher Nkunku. Though Adrien Rabiot headlines a group that's very formidable, France's structure in the middle has been questionable thus far. Denmark outpossessed France in their match. The middle third of the field will be volatile in this one.
England vs. France Prediction
This game is going to be action-packed to the brim. From Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford, to Kylian Mbappé and Olivier Giroud, goalscorers are abundant in this match. Neither midfield is dominant enough to control the flow of the game continuously, expect plenty of counterattacks. Both teams feature solid defensive lines, with Harry Maguire anchoring England and Raphael Varane leading the French defense. I envision another entertaining, dramatic quarterfinal to bless us soccer fans. I'll give the edge to the returning world champions.
Score prediction: England 2 - 3 France
