World Cup Best Bets – July 5 – Round of 16

Canada have been very impressive at the 2026 World Cup, losing just one of their opening four matches. Their 1-1 draw with Bosnia in their opener may have seen them miss out on the chance to secure the win, but it had them raring to go ahead of their must-win game against Qatar. While Qatar were poor on the pitch, Canada still needed to take advantage of this in front of goal, and that is exactly what they did as they plundered six goals and a clean sheet. While they were beaten by a technically superior Switzerland side in a 2-1 loss in their final group game, this did not stop them from snatching a win over South Africa as they kept their unlikely World Cup dreams alive. The worry for Canada is that they now come face to face with another side that is better than them. The Swiss were the only side that Canada have been underdogs against, with Morocco set to be the favourites in their clash too. While Canada have enjoyed their run so far, this is likely the end of the road for them.

Morocco have been incredibly impressive at the 2026 World Cup, avoiding defeat across their opening four matches. Their 1-1 draw with Brazil set them up well as they beat Scotland (1-0) before downing Haiti (4-2). They then stunned the Netherlands by securing a win on penalties. With Morocco showcasing their excellent ability across the pitch, they will be confident heading into this one. They boast wins in their two previous matches against Canada, and I back them to make it three successive wins over their opponents.

France have been outstanding this summer and look like the team to beat at the World Cup. Their 3-1 win over Senegal in their opener was quickly followed by wins over Iraq (3-0) and Norway (4-1), with the French in brilliant scoring form. They then hammered Sweden 3-0 as the European heavyweights flexed their ability to tear a defence apart. At times they were toying with Sweden, and they likely left a number of goals out there. Kylian Mbappe continues to star at the tournament, scoring six times so far. With the forward likely to see his team dominate possession, I am backing him to score once again.