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World Cup Final Transfer Tips: The Big Numbers

The World Cup final between France and Croatia takes place this Sunday, but McDonald’s FIFA and Fantasy iTeam managers ought to be aware that the third-place play-off between Belgium and England – which takes place on Saturday at 3pm – also counts towards their Fantasy scores.

Although rotation can be expected for this hollow match between the losing semi-finalists, the fact that Fantasy managers get five free transfers in the McDonald’s FIFA game (three in Fantasy iTeam) ahead of this final round ought to be more than enough to enable a full starting XI at the very least.

That we will know the line-ups for the third-place play-off before the final World Cup Fantasy window shuts on Saturday afternoon will also help with our squad selections.

While we can confidently predict the full-strength starting XIs for France and Croatia ahead of the final, Saturday’s play-off tie is sure to feature some peripheral Belgian and English squad players. Fantasy managers would, therefore, be advised to look out for team news an hour or two before kick-off as there could well be some Fantasy differentials with low ownership on display that could help reduce or consolidate a mini-league deficit.

Our team-by-team analysis of Opta’s World Cup data, which is available to Fantasy Football Scout members as part of their yearly subscription, provides clues as to which players’ underlying statistics could translate into Fantasy points and which assets are best avoided.

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, which begins on June 14 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 previewing 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.

808 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Dyballer
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Any love for Locadia (£5.5m) as the third ST? I wouldn't use him every week, but Brighton have quite a few match-ups with difficulty level 2

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Wtf is difficulty level 2?

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

        On the FPL website fixtures. Have you used the site before? 😆

        1. Epic Fail
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 8 months ago

          I just use the cheat codes.

          1. Dyballer
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 8 months ago

            Haha, so any proper answers now? Idk about the situation with Murray and Andone... but Locadia seems like the better player

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

            Very wise.

            And fun to make all the players naked.

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

        Casual. Dont you play on Hardcore difficulty?

    2. Je suis le chat
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Yesus! I need a crash course in young persons speak!

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

        ST = Striker

        Anything else? 😉

  2. Sadio
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    RMT? Midfield heavy, taking a chance on Fabregas as well.

    Ederson Gunn
    Robertson Coleman Smalling Mee Duffy
    Salah Eriksen Mahrez Fabregas Wilshere
    Firmino King Kamara

    1. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      And if Aguero hits the ground running?

    2. dilksymatey
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      I think Pedro instead of Fabregas. He should get game time with Willian likely to be rested post World Cup.
      I'd also save 0.5 on Wilshere and swap King for Tosun.

  3. The 12th Man
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Pull this 4-4-2/3-5-2 team apart.

    Patricio, Foster
    Coleman,Tomkins,Kiko,Cedric,4.0
    Salah,Sanchez,Sigurdsson,Mkhitarian,Cairney
    Aguero,Firmino,Kamara

    1. penman26
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      cant fault that team its pretty good for the first 6 GWs

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

      Tomkins, Kiko, 4.0 not nailed.

      Therefore you'll have to wait a few weeks for proper feedback 😉

      I don't think Sanchez is a safe route to value, which you need to find if going without Salah. Someone a bit cheaper would be good so you can spread more funds around (particularly into one or two defenders) imo

      1. The 12th Man
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        Thanks. May downgrade Sanchez to Mahrez or Sane and use funds to change defence. I have Salah as well.

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

          Oh yeah I'm blind, but the same principle applies anyway. I was trying to give it some post-hoc bite 😀

    3. Dyballer
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      GK and Defence is too cheap imo. Coleman is a fantastic choice and Tomkins could be okay, but maybe invest in a Burnley defender for 5m.

      Sanchez is a bit too unproven at United, but he is a sure starter unlike a lot of stars coz of the WC. Wait til preseason performances before committing to him. I love the Salah and Siggy picks. Mkhitaryan is a tad risky too for the price (2 bad GWs to begin with too) and Cairney now has competition for assists from Seri (but still not a bad choice).

      Agüero, yes! Firmino may be rested a bit and Kamara is tour standard bench fodder. Consider Zaha, since you already have Salah?

      1. The 12th Man
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        Yeh thanks for that input. Will have a tinker with that info. Mkhitarian May become Jota and Sanchez > Son,Silva or Mahrez

        1. Dyballer
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 8 months ago

          Ooh, avoid Son. He will miss probs first four games due to Asian Cup I think

      2. George Sillett
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        Leave Burnley alone. Extra games in that nuisance of a competition will take its toll.

    4. dilksymatey
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Defence is too cheap for my liking.

  4. dilksymatey
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Criticise my team please:

    DDG
    Valencia - Daniels - Alonso - Mendy
    Mane - Eriksen - Sane - Elyounoussi
    Aguero - Tosun

    Subs: Stek - Tomkins - Masuaku - Quaner

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

      Daniels. Nuff said

      1. dilksymatey
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        Who would you recommend at 4.5 instead? His early fixtures and attacking threat made him an obvious choice for me.

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

          Personally going without any 4.5 defenders at the moment. You don't have to go where you can't find any value. But possible contenders are Cedric, Tomkins if he's likely to start ahead (or less likely, alongside Dann), Schlupp if looks likely to start and Doherty, who could be a little disappointing when an extra 0.5-1.0 buys you quite a bit more.

          1. dilksymatey
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 8 months ago

            I've just done this:
            Valencia > Smalling
            Tomkins > Douglas

            I'm going to leave out Cedric for now because I already have Elyounoussi and I don't like having more than one player from a side outside the big 6.

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

              Looks better to me, assuming Smalling is nailed. I think the real reason to avoid Cedric & Ely double up is that you can't bench one for the other. If you were paying 8.0 for Ely he would be permanently in your XI so rotation and double-up doesn't matter.

        2. Dyballer
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 8 months ago

          Dunk is a nice fill-in defender for that price and, since you have no Everton defenders, maybe Williams if he is certain to start. Boly from Wolves too?

          1. dilksymatey
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 8 months ago

            I'm a fan of Dunk but I've been put off by Brighton's early fixtures! Williams I'm unsure he'll start but Boly is a good shout.

            1. Dyballer
              • 5 Years
              5 years, 8 months ago

              Yea I understand the Dunk argument. I personally have a more expensive defence, so Dunk is my cheapest and will only play against easy teams lol. I also have Barry Douglas (£5m), hence the Boly suggestion

    2. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Happy with no Salah?

      1. dilksymatey
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        I fancy Mane to kick on this season. Salah's price does too much damage to the rest of my team.

      2. Dyballer
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        I was originally, but, having looked at the stats compared to Mane and Firmino, Salah’s goals were no fluke. I cannot see Salah dropping off to become the creator at Liverpool. He had pretty much the same no. shots as Mane and Firmino put together and this should continue

  5. Silecro
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    RM goalkeeper light T:

    Fabianski/Begovic
    Robertson/Cedric/Baines (Douglas, Kiko)
    Walcott/Deulofeu/DSilva/Salah/Mkhi
    Firmino/Aguero (Kamara)

    1. dilksymatey
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      I personally think you need at least another defender from one of either United/City/Chelsea.

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

      Looks good to me 🙂

      I'd play Douglas over Cedric. Players-wise, I think they all look potentially good vaule (besides Kiko is not nailed), so I'm not going to try and pursuade you to pick my players. Firmino is a slight dought to make GW1 imo, but should be able to cope if he does miss out.

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

        Kiko if not nailed*

        1. Silecro
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 8 months ago

          Cheers 😀

    3. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Looks good. See if Everton buy a Left Back. Otherwise Baines should be ok at the start.

      1. Silecro
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        Yeah, looking at that, transfering to coleman if that happens

  6. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Please rate/ advise changes:

    Ederson/ Boruc
    TAA/ Cedric/ Daniels/ Tomkins/ Bennett
    Salah/ Sanchez/ Mkhi/ Deulofeu/ Stephens
    Aguero/ Firmino/ Tosun

    Thanks a lot!

    1. Mastermind78
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 8 months ago

      Will Coleman be a good 5.5 option in defence?

  7. lilmessipran
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    2nd in my ML in the Mcdonalds fantasy game , 13 points behind the leader.. I have max captain left , he doesn't have a booster left.. Is it possible to catch him with only 1 week to go and very little differentials as such?

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

      Yes. With max cap, anything is possible. I'm 16 behind my rival, and we both have max cap left 😐

      1. lilmessipran
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        that's gonna be tough to catch mate.. just hoping that the belgium vs england game has a host of differentials and I can pick the right ones ..good luck to you

  8. The 12th Man
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Is anyone rotating attacking players?
    Looking at Costa/Deulofeu

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

      Could do, but West Ham and Burnley aren't the best fixtures after sitting Costa on your bench for a few weeks. Lookman at 5.5 could be useful to go with Deu, and a great first sub option if he's nailed, but hopefully there's a better 4.5-5.0 option that I'm yet to discover. At the moment I'm more liekly to be using a defender to cover Deu's fixtures, but you could be right about Costa

      1. The 12th Man
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 8 months ago

        I really hope we keep Lookman but Leipzig are after him. Everton have just had a 30m€ offer rejected for Doucouré.

  9. Yeezy FC
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 8 months ago

    Any suggestions?

    Ederson (4.0)
    PVA, Coleman, Ward (Daniels, 4.0)
    Eriksen, Alexis, Mane, Mkhitaryan (Stephens)
    Aguero, Arnautovic, Zaha

    Feedback appreciated...thanks!