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

    Meunier out for next game

  2. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Meunier YC - misses next game

    1. mir
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Down to 6 players if England and Croatia win.

  3. 420king
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Hahaha, my only Belgian player is suspended for next game 😆

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

    Sub him now Martinez

  5. Richd
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Damn. Meunier suspended. In comes a 6th England Player.

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

    Meunier taking one for the team.

  7. FPL ZB
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Lukaku looks so much better in a team that want to service the striker and run off him

    1. Richd
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      West Brom did good with him

  8. F4L
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    that's a big loss for Belgium

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

    Great! Meunier misses next match.

  10. Richd
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    God I’m so sweaty in the bum today

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

    Really happy to see all of the South Americans out, with the exception of Argentina they are an embarrassment to the game

    1. Richd
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Argentina are an embarrassment too

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

        They don’t cheat and dive the way the others do. And I love Aguero

    2. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      That is not very fair Peru were decent WR,

      1. Richd
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Valid point. My favourite team after England st this tournament

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

        Fair comment

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

      Oops

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

    Meunier CS locking incoming.

    1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Why? So if he gets a second yellow he still misses Semi?

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

        My bad, CS gone anyway.

  13. FPL ZB
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    My maximum captain might end up on Courtois at this rate

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

    That's a humongous loss to Belgium (and me!) They have no one that can replace Meunier.

    1. Richd
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      I own him and don’t mind. I wanna max England and he’s a stones enabler.

  15. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Hazard is as bad as Neymar at times when it comes to feigning injuries

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

      He’s bad. But no one is as bad as Neymar.

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

        Suarez maybe though

  16. Richd
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Awful mistake from KDB

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

    Courtois must be nearing 9 saves

  18. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Pity Brazil have no one like Inui or Haraguchi.

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

    Brazil goal

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

      Augusto goal Coutinho assist

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

    Game on

  21. 420king
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Coutinho A, Renato Augusto G

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

    You should have subbed him Martinez...

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

    OMG AUGUSTO

    Coutinho assist

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

    Goal!

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

    SPICY

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

    New guy scored.

  27. Richd
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Damn. Now it’s really sweaty.

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

    Coutinho is magic, he wears a magic hat!

  29. FPL ZB
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    This game is every reason why I’ll be gutted if Courtois leaves

    1. FPL ZB
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Damn.

  30. Shultan
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    There goes my double belgium CS