Dugout Discussion

De Bruyne’s Fantasy popularity surges ahead of World Cup semi-final

The first 2018 World Cup semi-final takes place on Tuesday evening as France and Belgium meet in Saint Petersburg.

The pool of players available to Fantasy managers is now at its lowest, although up to six assets from any of the four semi-finalists are allowed in our squads from this point.

Kevin De Bruyne (£9.8m) appears to have picked up many of Philippe Coutinho’s former owners and is the most-bought player of this round in the McDonald’s FIFA game. Just over 450,000 managers had transferred in the Manchester City midfielder, who scored in Belgium’s quarter-final win over Brazil, at the time of writing and De Bruyne now sits in over 37% of Fantasy squads.

Despite not scoring since the second round of group matches, Romelu Lukaku (£10.0m) is still the most-owned Belgian asset at this point, a nose ahead of De Bruyne. No player has been presented with more “big chances” than Lukaku at this World Cup.

Eden Hazard (£10.1m) is another Belgian forward who hasn’t scored since the 5-2 win over Tunisia, despite having more penalty box touches than any player who plays for one of the four semi-finalists. The Chelsea man features in just under a fifth of McDonald’s FIFA squads.

Thibaut Courtois (£6.0m), who racked up nine saves in the 2-1 win over Brazil, features in 30.4% of Fantasy sides.

Belgium will be without the services of Thomas Meunier (£6.0m), who is suspended after collecting two bookings.

With three goals apiece at the tournament, Kylian Mbappe (£9.1m) and Antoine Griezmann (£10.0m) feature in 35.4% and 26.5% of McDonald’s FIFA teams respectively.

France have registered more clean sheets than the other three nations who have made it to the last four and Raphael Varane (£6.0m), who was on target in the quarter-final victory over Uruguay, is now the most-owned defender in the McDonald’s FIFA game: just over a third of Fantasy managers have selected the Real Madrid centre-back.

Benjamin Pavard remains excellent value at £4.5m and was the third-most bought player in McDonald’s FIFA ahead of tonight’s semi-final.

Blaise Matuidi (£7.2m) replaces Corentin Tolisso (£7.3m) in Didier Deschamps’ starting XI this evening.

France XI (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Hernandez; Pogba, Kante; Matuidi, Mbappe, Griezmann; Giroud

Belgium XI (3-5-2): Courtois; Alderweireld, Kompany, Vertonghen; Chadli, Fellaini, Dembele, Witsel, 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.

913 Comments Post a Comment
  1. tm245
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Hazard close

  2. Louis_Sans_Balls
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Haz looking to shoot first

  3. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Hazard is on fire

  4. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Get Chadli off the corners!

  5. Dr Van Nostrand
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Get yer clown mophead outta the way Fellaini

  6. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Chadli’s crossing hasn’t been the best

    1. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Awful so far

  7. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Varane doing bits here

  8. Louis_Sans_Balls
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Varane being tested, stepping up nicely

  9. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Kante getting no help in the middle.

  10. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Lloris denies Aldy!

  11. tm245
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Nice save

  12. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Toby 🙁

  13. Louis_Sans_Balls
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Toby had a goal

  14. Fuchs Mane Kante
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Pogba and Fellaini are top boys.

    Its coming home sodomites.

  15. Alex_thekid
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    What a fecking save

  16. Louis_Sans_Balls
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    mark my words a set piece will mark the difference

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Don't say this now. You convinced me not to captain KDB in favour of Mbappe in open play!

  17. CloudSky
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Varane and Lloris holding it out for France. Midfield being run over. Where is that Pogba fan dude?

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

    France are not even in the game.

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

    Fellaini is everywhere!

    1. Sif
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      hair there everywhere

  20. AYEW KI-EDEN MEE
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Lloris channelling his inner Pickford here

  21. Eden Wizard
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Mendy resting up nicely again 😆

  22. HamezMace
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Superb game.
    Enjoying the team and PL rivalries.
    Pogba marking Fellaini on corners, Lloris saving from Alderweirald.

    Are Tottenham the most represented team in the semi finals?

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

      4 Chelsea.

      1. HamezMace
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Lloris, Dembele, Vertonghen, Alderweirald....plus half the England team

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

          Ah yes. I misunderstood. Thought only those match.

    2. tm245
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Man City, maybe?

      1. HamezMace
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Thanks, I thought as much

    3. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Liverpool are represented by Lovren

      1. HamezMace
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Kyle Walker was once on loan at Northampton. So I’m taking that.

  23. StoichkovFPL
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    "Hugo Lloris can save a PDF file on a calculator"

    😆

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      I can also make calls with mine

  24. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    France just holding on, Umtiti with a vital interception

  25. Patch
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Erm where are my froggy goals???

    Pavard looks I'll like he has had too many snails...a bit ozely

  26. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    If Fellaini turns out to be the player of the WC does that mean Real Madrid are going to make a swoop for him with a £150m bid?

    1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Nah, they are buying the whole England team.

    2. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Indubitably

    3. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      No

  27. AYEW KI-EDEN MEE
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Chadli has played more minutes at the World Cup than he did in the Premier League last season

  28. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Giroud with a clever header, but it goes wide. Pavard assit too

  29. CloudSky
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Haz like a hot knife thru buttah.

    1. CloudSky
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Having his Madrid audition. 😎

  30. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    You're a wizard, Hazard.