The 2018 FIFA World Cup is less than 100 days away. Fans from all four corners of the globe will be excited to see how their team fares in this summer’s competition, held in Russia for the very first time.
As of March 8th, Brazil and Germany are the market principals but Spain, France and Argentina are all well placed to challenge for the Jules Rimet Trophy.
As for the Golden Boot award, it is certainly up for grabs. In 2014, Colombia forward James Rodriguez snagged the accolade after notching six goals – he had an excellent tournament. This summer, the top strikers in the business will fancy their chances of winning the Golden Boot but there are a few dark horses who could score a fair few goals in the competition. Here are a few of those outsiders:
Harry Kane
Currently leading the way at the top of the Premier League goalscoring charts, Kane’s hopes of winning this illustrious award hinge on England’s efforts this summer. With group games against Panama and Tunisia, there is plenty of scope for goals and Kane should be the main beneficiary – he has bagged 12 goals in 23 appearances for The Three Lions.
Priced out at 20/1, Kane represents solid value. England should advance to the knockout stages and you’d fancy the Tottenham Hotspur man to grab a few goals. A Three Lions win is unlikely this summer but Kane is in with a sniff of the Golden Boot award.
Luis Suarez
Widely regarded as the best striker on the planet, Suarez could feature near the top of the goalscoring charts this summer. The former Liverpool man is capable of turning a game on its head in the blink of an eye – Suarez scored a brace against England in the 2014 event, much to the dismay of Three Lions fans across the country.
Plenty of punters will be keeping an eye on the latest odds and totalizator tips ahead of the World Cup but Suarez is worth a small wager at 25/1. Uruguay have an excellent record in this competition and he should flourish after an excellent club campaign for Barcelona.
Eden Hazard
Hazard is out at 50/1 – an excellent price considering his quality in the final third. Chelsea have been under intense pressure in recent months but Hazard has been the cool, calming influence and the Belgium winger is in the form of his life. A move to Real Madrid beckons if he shines this summer and he could be in for a successful tournament.
Roberto Martinez will likely have Hazard on penalty-taking duties and Belgium should create plenty of opportunities in attack. The Chelsea star is one to watch in the betting; he could be the one to inspire Belgium to a first World Cup triumph.
Mohamed Salah
But the longest chance of all is Mohamed Salah. Playing for Egypt, the Liverpool forward will need to make the most of any opportunities that fall his way – Salah will relish the chance to carry his nation to the knockout stages. He has scored 32 goals for Liverpool in 2017/18 and we aren’t even midway through March yet. Some achievement…
Salah is available at around 66/1 to finish as the tournament’s top goal scorer and Reds fans won’t discourage anybody from backing the Egyptian. Write him off at your peril; if anyone can defy the odds, it is Mo Salah.
