Croatia and Belgium go at it in a battle between the top two teams in Group F on Dec. 1. It’s the third and final fixture of the group, so there’s a good chance that this match will decide first place.
Croatia will look to provide an encore to their impressive 2018 tournament, where they made it to the finals before losing to France. Belgium advanced to the semifinals that year and remain contenders in Qatar.
While Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku has dealt with a hamstring injury, he should be good to go for this game. However, it’s hard to imagine that he’ll be in top form right away, so we should temper our expectations on his effectiveness.
With that in mind, let’s get right into the best bets between Croatia and Belgium in this World Cup Group F match.
Croatia vs Belgium Odds
- 3-way handicap: Belgium (-115) | Draw (+250) | Croatia (+280)
- Draw No Bet: Belgium (-260) | Croatia (+174)
- Over/Under Goals: Over 2.5 (-112) | Under 2.5 (-122)
Croatia vs Belgium World Cup odds are current as of 11 a.m. EST on Thursday, Nov. 10.
Belgium are being a bit overvalued here, especially when you consider Croatia’s experience at this tournament. Veteran players like Luka Modrić remain on this squad, helping them remain one of the better sides in the tournament.
The odds on the Over and Under are relatively even, which makes sense given Belgium’s strong attack that includes superstar midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.
Targeting the three-way handicap market for these World Cup Group F odds looks like the prudent play, as there is a lot of value with Croatia here.
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Croatia vs Belgium Prediction
Croatia 2-1 Belgium
Croatia comes into this game in top form. They finished first in their Nations League group, which included Denmark and France. In fact, they went unbeaten against these two contending squads, with two wins against Denmark along with a win and a draw against France.
On the other hand, Belgium comes in at mediocre form, as they’ve gone 3-2-2 in their last seven competitive matches. This includes two losses to Netherlands and two draws against Wales. While Belgium does have a more talented roster, I can’t underestimate Croatia’s experience here.
Croatia has a midfield led by Modrić (Real Madrid), who is joined by Marcelo Brozović (Inter Milan) and Mateo Kovačić (Chelsea). They have the ability to hold their own against players like De Bruyne and Eden Hazard.
I’m also concerned about Lukaku’s fitness for this game. If he’s not at his top form, that’s a huge hole in their attack because he’s a dangerous striker for Belgium. That’s bad news against a Croatia side that has allowed only three goals in their last five matches.
Croatia vs Belgium Betting Tips
- Croatia won their Nations League group, knocking off France and Denmark.
- They have given up three goals in their last five games.
- Belgium has only three wins in their last seven matches.
- Lukaku has dealt with a hamstring injury, so he’s not in top form.
Croatia vs Belgium Best Bets
Croatia +1 (-130) at FanDuel Sportsbook
WAGER: 2 Units
I love that we can get Croatia +1 at such a reasonable price. This is a seasoned team that has a chance at winning outright. There’s a low chance that they’ll lose by more than one goal given how they’ve played lately, especially against tough competition.
We hit this bet with a win or draw, making it the best play on the board.
Croatia (+280) at FanDuel Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
We’ll throw a unit on Croatia to win outright because the +280 value is too good to pass up. I always like targeting teams that come into the tournament in top form and that’s the case with Croatia, while Belgium has struggled recently. Take Croatia at this undervalued price.
