The World Cup has officially arrived, and the Ladbrokes blog is your one-stop shop for daily tips ahead of all the key games. From the Group Stages, right through to the World Cup Final, check back each day to find out who our football expert is backing!
Group Stage
Norway vs France Predictions – Group I (Match 9)
This is easily one of the better games of the round with both Norway and France arriving unbeaten and full of confidence. Norway have made a strong start, backing up their opening win over Iraq with a 3-2 victory over Senegal last week. Erling Haaland has already made his presence felt, and with Martin Odegaard pulling the strings in midfield, they have the kind of attacking quality that can trouble just about anyone.
France have looked every bit like a tournament heavyweight, beating Senegal 3-1 before taking care of Iraq 3-0. Kylian Mbappe remains the headline act, but the support around him through Ousmane Dembele and Marcus Thuram gives Les Bleus so many ways to hurt teams. Norway can make this interesting, especially with Haaland up front, but France look the more complete side across the park.
Prediction: France to Cover (-1 Goal) @ $2.60
Value: Over 3.5 Goals
Player Pick: Kylian Mbappe Anytime Goalscorer @ $1.87
Senegal vs Iraq Predictions – Group I (Match 10)
Both sides come into this desperate for a result after going winless through their first two games, and that should make for a pretty open contest.
Senegal have shown flashes, particularly through Sadio Mane’s direct running and Ismaila Sarr’s pace out wide, but they have not quite put it together for long enough.
Iraq, meanwhile, have had some decent moments in attack, with Aymen Hussein still their main threat in the box, but defensively they have been far too easy to open up.
Senegal look the more talented side overall, and if they can tidy things up in the final third, this is a nice spot to finally get on the board.
Prediction: Senegal to Win & Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.70
Value: Correct Score – Senegal 3-0 @ $7.75
Player Pick: Lamine Camara 2+ Shots @ $2.20
Uruguay vs Spain Predictions – Group H (Match 9)
Spain look to be building nicely after a frustrating opening draw with Cape Verde, bouncing back in style with a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia that showed just how dangerous they can be when their passing game clicks.
With Pedri controlling the tempo in midfield, and Nico Williams plus Lamine Yamal giving them pace and creativity out wide, they should ask plenty of questions.
Uruguay have been solid enough with two draws, but they may need more cutting edge here, even with Federico Valverde driving from midfield and Darwin Nunez offering a threat up top.
Spain look to have clicked into gear and should win again.
Prediction: Spain to Win & Over 3.5 Goals @ $4.20
Value: Correct Score – Spain 4-2 @ $41
Player Pick: Mikel Oyarzabal Anytime Goalscorer @ $2.10
Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia Predictions – Group H (Match 10)
Cape Verde have been one of the more interesting sides to watch so far, showing plenty of discipline and organisation in their draw with Spain before backing it up with another competitive showing.
They look comfortable sitting in, staying compact, and picking their moments to break. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, need a response after being put away 4-0 by Spain, and confidence could be a concern. This feels like a tight game where Cape Verde’s structure and patience can make life difficult.
Prediction: Under 2.5 Goals @ $1.72
Value: Cape Verde to Win @ $2.60
Player Pick: Helio Varela Anytime Goalscorer @ $4.60
New Zealand vs Belgium Predictions – Group G (Match 9)
Belgium are yet to find their groove after drawing with Egypt in their opener, and then sharing the points in a scoreless stalemate with Iran last week that saw Nathan Ngoy sent off in the 67th minute.
Kevin De Bruyne showed some real improvement taking a couple of shots, but there is growing pressure on Romelu Lukaku to lift after being subbed off in the 72nd minute with a yellow card to his name.
New Zealand came crashing back to earth in a 3-1 loss to Egypt last week. Mo Salah ran rings around the All Whites and scored a deserving goal as the Kiwis shot themselves in the foot with 14 fouls.
This is a tough game to get a feel for with Belgium struggling to get off the mark, but they do have New Zealand covered in terms of talent and class. The Kiwis will be up for a physical battle, but whether they can sustain that for a full 90 minutes is the question.
Prediction: Belgium to Win to Nil @ $1.80
Value: Belgium to Win & Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.20
Player Pick: Romelu Lukaku to Score 2 or More Goals @ $3.50
Egypt vs Iran Predictions – Group G (Match 10)
Egypt should be full of belief after last week’s 3-1 win over New Zealand, a result that showed a lot more polish and control than their opening draw with Belgium.
They moved the ball with more purpose, found better pockets in the final third, and looked far more dangerous once Mohamed Salah started getting involved in the right areas.
Iran are never easy to break down and will likely make this a physical, stop-start contest, but Egypt’s confidence should be high after that New Zealand performance. If they can carry the same tempo and composure into this one, they look well placed to get another result.
Prediction: Egypt to Win @ $2.35
Value: Both Teams to Score @ $2.10
Player Pick: Mo Salah to Have 2+ Shots on Target @ $2.95