Two of the giants of European international football face off in the first World Cup semi-final on Tuesday and Ian Wilkerson thinks France will qualify for their third successive final at the expense of Spain.
Les Bleus have won all six of their matches at this summer's tournament and, while Spain only conceded their first goal of the summer in their 2-1 quarter-final win over Belgium, they could find the French too strong in the attacking third.
Didier Deschamps' side have been too strong for Sweden, Paraguay and Morocco in the knockout rounds and are rightfully favourites to come out on top of what could prove an entertaining World Cup semi-final clash.
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France v Spain Tips Summary
Best Bet - France to win @ 13/10
Alternative Bet - Kylian Mbappe to score at any time @ 21/20
Bet Builder - Both teams to score, Michael Olise to assist & Second half to have most goals @ 7/1
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France v Spain Prediction
Best Bet: France to win @ 13/10
France and Spain had been earmarked to meet in the semi-finals for months and it promises to be an excellent spectacle when they meet in Dallas on Tuesday.
Both have shown great defensive resolve, but it just looks as if France have a little more up front and that could tip the balance in their favour as they attempt to reach a third consecutive World Cup final.
Spain needed late goals to get the better of Portugal and Belgium in the last two rounds, with Arsenal's Mikel Merino coming to their rescue on both occasions.
But they may have too much ground to make up if Les Bleus, spearheaded by Kylian Mbappe and a huge supporting cast of attacking talent, get into their groove.
Alternative Bet: Kylian Mbappe to score at any time @ 21/20
Mbappe could be sat on nine goals for the tournament had he not scuffed a weak penalty in France's 2-0 quarter-final victory over Morocco, but the Real Madrid star was on hand to net the first in that success after the break.
His confidence levels appear to be sky high and this big game is the time for big players to shine.
There is none bigger than the former Paris Saint-Germain forward and, after 19 shots on target in his six outings, there looks like a strong chance he can find the net again.
France v Spain Bet Builder Tip
Both teams to score
Michael Olise to assist
Second half to have most goals
Pays 7/1
While both defences have been strong throughout the tournament, neither side will have come up against the sort of pressure they are likely to experience in this Dallas showdown.
France have conceded twice and Spain just once, but there is an array of attacking talent on show and the highly anticipated clash looks unlikely to disappoint.
Bayern Munich's Michael Olise has yet to open his account at the World Cup, but he has been a vital cog in the French machine and has contributed five assists to the effort.
He can always be expected to be at the heart of the action, so don't be surprised if he adds to his tally of successful set-ups.
There also looks a strong chance that there will be more goals in the second half than before the interval.
Just five of Les Bleus'16 strikes have come before half-time and three of those were against a second-string Norway side in their final group game.
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Key Match Stats
France have scored at least twice in five of their six matches at this World Cup
Spain conceded their first goal of the tournament in their 2-1 quarter-final win over Belgium
France's Michael Olise has claimed five assists during the tournament
Les Bleus have won 15 of their last 17 matches
Seven of the last 10 meetings between these two sides have featured fewer than three goals
Just five of France's 16 goals at the World Cup have been scored in the first half
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
