The World Cup field has shrunk from 32 teams all the way down to eight, but that hasn’t changed oddsmakers’ opinions on who is the favorite to win it all.
Brazil has held that label since the beginning of the tournament, and are still seen as the team to beat when they kickoff quarterfinal play Friday morning against Croatia. Brazil has the best odds at +175, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, which is shorter odds compared to the start of the competition when they were +400 favorites.
There’s obvious reason to believe Brazil will be the last team standing after a sensational performance in the Round of 16 when they scored four first-half goals en route to a 4-1 win over South Korea. It also helps that the Brazilians have star Neymar back healthy after he got injured in the tournament opener and missed the final two games of round robin play.
But there will be plenty of competitors looking to knock off Brazil, namely reigning World Cup champion France. Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, could have that chance before France with a meeting with Brazil looming in the semifinals.
Here are the odds to come out on top for all eight teams remaining at the World Cup, per DraftKings:
Brazil +175
France +400
Argentina +550
Portugal +600
England +600
Netherlands +1400
Morocco +3500
Croatia +4000
Morocco and Croatia are clearly seen as long shots and aren’t worth the trouble of a wager. But Portugal does provide value at +600, especially after they flexed their muscles against Switzerland with a 6-1 win and did so without star Cristiano Ronaldo in the lineup. A $100 bet on Portugal would net a total of $700 if they earned three more wins.
That’s what each team is searching for at this stage, with some certainly having a better chance to be crowned champions come Dec. 18.
