Dugout Discussion

Lukaku and Coutinho the Fantasy favourites for Belgium v Brazil clash

A mouth-watering quarter-final, unquestionably the tie of the round, takes place this evening as Brazil and Belgium meet in Kazan.

The Selecao could so easily have been playing Japan tonight, after Belgium’s near-miss in the round of 16.

Philippe Coutinho (£9.2m) remains the most popular buy in the McDonald’s FIFA World Cup game, despite blanking in the 2-0 win over Mexico. Well over half (59%) of Fantasy bosses own the Barcelona playmaker, who has had more shots on goal than any midfielder at this year’s tournament.

Marcelo (£6.5m), previously the most-owned Fantasy asset in the World Cup group stage but now selected by 30% of McDonald’s FIFA bosses, returns to the Brazil side this evening after sitting out the last-16 victory over Mexico with a back spasm.

Centre-back Thiago Silva (£6.1m), who has three clean sheets and a goal to his name already, finds himself in 26.9% of Fantasy squads.

Neymar (£12.0m) has recovered from his touchline assault in the Mexico match to take his place in Brazil’s starting XI tonight. The Paris Saint-Germain forward has picked up some of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s former owners and now sits in just over a quarter of Fantasy squads. No player has had more shots than the Brazil striker at this year’s World Cup.

Romelu Lukaku (£10.1m) has been usurped by Harry Kane as the most popular forward in the McDonald’s FIFA game but is still owned by over a third of all Fantasy managers (33.5%). Eden Hazard is priced identically to Lukaku yet has less than half of the Manchester United striker’s owners, despite scoring more points (22 to 21) than his fellow Belgian forward.

Thomas Meunier (£6.0m) is living up to his pre-tournament billing as a must-have defender, having supplied two assists in his three World Cup appearances to date. The cavalier wing-back, who is owned by 10.3% of Fantasy managers, is one yellow card away from suspension, however.

Chelsea custodian Thibault Courtois (£6.0m) is in just under a quarter of Fantasy squads, having kept two clean sheets and registered save points in his other two appearances so far.

Both goalkeepers can expect a busy time this evening: Brazil (77) and Belgium (76) have attempted more shots than any other country at the 2018 World Cup to date.

Brazil (4-3-3): Alisson; Fagner, Silva, Miranda, Marcelo; Paulinho, Fernandinho, Coutinho; Willian, Jesus, Neymar

Belgium (3-4-2-1): Courtois; Alderweireld, Kompany, Vertonghen; Meunier, Fellaini, Witsel, Chadli; De Bruyne, Hazard; Lukaku

World Cup Data

We’re delighted to offer World Cup data as an early addition to our regular season offering to help those playing Fantasy games over the summer.

We’ve secured Opta data, not only for the tournament itself, but also from the Qualifying Rounds for Europe and South America and for international friendlies involving the participating nations. This includes all the matches played right up to the tournament kick-off.

Just to stress, this World Cup offering comes packaged with the regular Fantasy Football Scout membership.

Check out this new trailer detailing the World Cup content below…

McDonald’s FIFA World Cup Fantasy

Join our McDonald’s FIFA World Cup Fantasy league ‘FantasyFootballScout’ using the code: HEWJPVYR

Fantasy iTeam

Fantasy Football Scout is supporting Fantasy iTeam, a free World Cup game available on a number of mobile devices, including iPhone, iPad, iPodTouch and Android. We have an official Fantasy Football Scout League open to UK users only, with a £1000 of Amazon vouchers to give out, split between the top three performers. There’s also the small matter of £10k worth of prizes available in the main competitions: Overall World Championship and Manager of the Gameround.

Click here for details and here to sign up.

Our League name is Fantasy Football Scout and the pin is 1887.

Please note, users must be over 18 and based in the UK to join our league.

798 Comments Post a Comment
  1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Neymar tears to fall to the ground as fast as he falls down in the box

  2. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    What should have been Neymar’s time to nail a place in history for reasons other than transfers fees and tax evasion has just added embarrassing cheat to his cv.

    1. the axolotl
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      poetic. so happy for the sod

  3. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Commentators getting excited and forgetting their pact to pronounce Marcelo in a new way 😀

  4. Les Bleus
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    What a save!

  5. tm245
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Thibault!!!

  6. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Wow Courtois!!

  7. Skalla
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Fagner YC

  8. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Great save!

  9. the axolotl
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    banksesque

  10. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Courtois auditioning for Real Madrid

  11. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Phew. Hoooollldd.

  12. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Courtois does a Pickford. Almost as good as the little man 🙂

  13. the axolotl
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    GK running up for corner and they take it before he arrives 🙂

  14. CloudSky
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Courtois with a 10/10 performance.

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Have Brazil had THAT many shots? 😉

      1. Les Bleus
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Wouldn’t be 10/10 would it? 😉

      2. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Oh.... they have!? 😆

      3. Skalla
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Well 26 shots total 🙂

        1. Deulofail
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          On target 😀

      4. CloudSky
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        26, 9 on target. Well, maybe 9/10 then. 😛

        1. Skalla
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Well 9 on target with a goal and Courtois still gets 9 saves so that deserves a 10/10 from me!

        2. Deulofail
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          8/9? 😀

          1. Red Dagger ✪
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            8/9 for me.

  15. Skalla
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Should be 9 saves now for Courtois!

    1. Norman Conquest
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      yea 5 points total no need to twist

  16. tm245
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Yes!

    1. the axolotl
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      delighted for neymar, the rest of brazil team seem all right

  17. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Bye bye Brazil

  18. Les Bleus
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Byzil*

    *copied

  19. Epic Fail
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    England are due a win against Belgium.

    It's coming home.

  20. SuperMane Returns
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    The Euro 2018 Semi finals should be great..

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Even if one of the teams is from Asia.

    2. Norman Conquest
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      *the euro and england 2018 semi finals

  21. Longlatini
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Wow

  22. CloudSky
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Will Griggs on fire in the back. 😎

  23. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    KDB was immense

  24. DantheManinaPan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Good riddance Neymar

  25. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Belgium taking the easy route! Brilliant 1st half.

  26. Jack Frost
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Sometimes the more skillful team loses.

    1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Skillful at diving yes

      1. Epic Fail
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        The dives weren't very good that's why they didn't get any pens.

      2. Jack Frost
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Neymar had two RC committed against him in the box. the second a few minutes ago when Meunier put his finger in Neymar's eye... that was a clear red.

        1. The 12th Man
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Penalties maybe but red no. All their previous diving probably influenced the ref. IMHO the best team won although they tired towards the end and hung on.

  27. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Firmino ready for GW1

  28. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    I'm not English but i think it may be coming home

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Its a sad time alright.

    2. cravencottage
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      No chance

  29. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    France v Belgium it is.

    I look forward to seeing that game!

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      I think France will win. Losing Meunier is huge for Belgium. And France will be able to keep up with Belgium since they have Kante. Losing Casemiro for this game was a disaster for Brazil.

      1. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        I agree!

      2. Red Dagger ✪
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        No chance. France are going home.

  30. MrZ
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Now that brazil is out, please give neymar yellow for diving...

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      So... Phil Foden for GW1 then?

      1. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Opps. Not supposed to be a reply 🙂