France

Group C: France – World Cup Betting Odds & Tips

With less than six months to go, France are one of the teams being seriously considered as potential winners of the 2018 World Cup.

Les Bleus broke their nation’s collective heart by losing the final of Euro 2016 on home soil but there is a theory that you have to lose one before you win one and that may well be the case in Russia, with them 7.00 to triumph at the tournament.

Didier Deschamps has endless talent available to him from back to front but has favoured a pragmatic approach, rather than opting to unleash all of his stars at once.

Deschamps captained Les Bleus to global and European glory in 1998 and 2000 respectively and appears to be mimicking the methods of that era, building a functional team that allows its most talented players to shine when opportunities arise.

Antoine Griezmann is the current talisman and his combination with Paul Pogba only seems to be getting better.

The pair will be at the forefront of their country’s bid for a second world title and will be complemented by pace and power around them. However, there are weaknesses within the squad, most notably a lack of a quality number nine, prompting Deschamps to use Griezmann in a free role up front.

The attacking exuberance of their full-backs can also often leave them exposed in central defence – Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti and Laurent Koscielny are all excellent defenders but even they can find themselves overrun.

These issues are what their opponents will look to expose in the knockout rounds but their early games against Australia, Peru and Denmark are unlikely to cause too much drama.

They are the 1.30 favourites to top Group C and, if they can find their momentum early on, there is no doubt this current French squad can be serious contenders to lift the trophy in Moscow on July 15.