Football Bet of the Day: Fearsome France to see off Paraguay

France have emerged as the clear favourites to lift the World Cup crown and Les Bleus can secure a place in the quarter-finals with a win over Paraguay in Philadelphia on Saturday night (10pm BST).

I'm backing Didier Deschamps' side to do exactly that - and in style too - with my Football Bet of the Day.

Once in a while something happens in a major tournament to set one team apart from the competition and France's performance in a 3-0 victory over Sweden appears the defining moment in the 2026 World Cup.

Of course, Les Bleus are now clear favourites to win the trophy in North America, but the market may still not have moved enough in support of Didier Deschamps' men.

France hammered Sweden 3-0 in the last-32 round of the World Cup and that success saw Les Bleus hit 25 shots on goal, take nine corners and put up an expected goals figure of 3.24.

The contest against the Blue and Yellow could easily have ended in a 4-0, 5-0 or 6-0 success for Deschamps' side and that effort wasn’t a one-off.

France hammered Senegal 3-1, Iraq 3-0 and Norway 4-1 in the group stage and the two-time World Cup winners have had 73 efforts on goal in their four matches in the 2026 extravaganza.

Paraguay vs France Odds

Away from the numbers, Deschamps can call on the most gifted attacker in world football in Kylian Mbappe, the creative genius of Michael Olise to support the Real Madrid man and five or six forwards who would command a place in the starting line-up of most other teams at the World Cup.

William Saliba is a rock at the back, and while there have been questions raised about France's midfield, Paraguay are not a side strong enough for France to be worrying about anything other than a comfortable success.

The Guaraníes are not an upgrade on Sweden or Senegal and those sides were dismissed by a brilliant French outfit.

Of course, Norway rested their top performers against Les Bleus, but Deschamps' men showed all of their attacking class and desire to crush the Red, White and Blue 4-1.

Paraguay battled bravely and defended heroically to beat Germany on penalties at the last-32 stage of the World Cup, but they conceded 76 per cent possession and 21 efforts on goal to Die Mannschaft.

A repeat of those numbers and even another masterclass from Paraguay keeper Orlando Gill is unlikely to keep Gustavo Alfaro’s men in the game.

A France victory and over 2.5 goals in the Philadelphia contest can be backed at 7/10 and that rates the strongest play on Saturday's World Cup coupon.

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Pre-Match Bet Builder & Single bets on qualifying Player selections. Selected leagues & markets only. Applies to Price Boosts & Turbo Boosts. Extra-time will count. T&Cs Apply.

Sub Switch

Pre-Match Bet Builder & Single bets on qualifying Player selections. Selected leagues & markets only. Applies to Price Boosts & Turbo Boosts. Extra-time will count. T&Cs Apply.

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