Ahead of the World Cup Fantasy Semi-final round, it’s time to look at some players with Scouting Bonus potential.
As many of you know, differentials can earn you an extra two points in the Fantasy FIFA World Cup game.
But with a much smaller pool of players to choose from, it’s becoming much more difficult to identify quality differentials owned by fewer than 5% of managers.
So, instead, in this article, we’re going country by country to highlight who the low-owned options are. As you’d expect at this latter stage, many carry game-time risks of some variety or are of the decidedly ‘unsexy’ variety of Fantasy pick.
It’s also worth noting that we have included Dani Olmo ($7.7m) – arguably the best of the bunch in regards to Scouting Bonus eligibility – in our Semi-final Scout Picks, which is why he isn’t mentioned below.
ARGENTINA
Rotation at full-back has been an issue for Fantasy managers. Unfortunately, it is also the defensive position most likely to offer success when targeting Scouting Bonus.
Nahuel Molina ($4.4m), who is not eligible for this bonus, appears to have secured the right-back position after starting Argentina’s last three matches. As a result, Gonzalo Montiel ($4.3m), who does qualify for Scouting Bonus, now looks far less likely to start.
Left-back could therefore be the position to take a risk on. Nicolás Tagliafico ($4.3m) has started both of Argentina’s previous two matches. His main competition comes from Facundo Medina ($4.0m), who has played just one minute across the last two rounds after suffering from cramp during the Round of 32 clash with Cabo Verde.
Among Argentina defenders, only Molina has created more key passes than Tagliafico. That highlights his attacking potential alongside the possibility of a clean sheet.
However, Medina can be considered better suited to defending, so if Argentina change their approach, there is risk.
In midfield, finding players who could start and qualify for Scouting Bonus is far less of an issue. Since returning from injury, Leandro Paredes ($5.6m) has become an important player for Lionel Scaloni. Rodrigo De Paul ($5.9m) also remains a key part of the Argentina midfield.
The bigger issue with both players is their attacking potential. Choosing between them is also difficult. Paredes has impressed when playing, but De Paul has created twice as many chances as his teammate. However, De Paul has also played more minutes, which helps explain the difference.
Lautaro Martínez ($8.8m) is the only Argentina forward who qualifies for Scouting Bonus. He failed to start either of the previous two matches but still produced an attacking return during both of his substitute appearances, despite playing just 24 and 35 minutes.
Selecting Martínez would also mean overlooking one of the premium forwards, so the move may carry more risk than usual.
ENGLAND
Both England and Argentina have looked unconvincing at times during the tournament, so backing differentials from either side could prove beneficial.
That said, England have limited options. Reece James ($5.2m) stands out as the obvious candidate in defence and the only likely starter who qualifies for Scouting Bonus. Although he missed the starting XI against Norway, James played 49 minutes from the bench. That could indicate he could be ready to start the upcoming semi-final.
There are also several options to consider in the England attack. However, rotation between Noni Madueke ($6.1m) and Bukayo Saka ($9.5m) limits their appeal. Neither player has reached the 60-minute mark when starting either of England’s last two matches.
Madueke’s classification as a forward could also put Fantasy managers off taking the plunge.
Gametime should not be a concern for Elliot Anderson ($6.5m). However, he does not carry the same attacking appeal as England’s more advanced options. That said, his tally of five chances created matches the total recorded by Harry Kane ($10.5m).
Marcus Rashford ($7.5m) sits below 5% ownership, but he has not featured in either of England’s last two matches. That effectively rules him out as an option.
FRANCE
France do not have a likely starter in defence who qualifies for Scouting Bonus. Lucas Digne ($5.0m) came closest last time out, but his ownership has now risen above 10%.
Digne’s positional rival, Theo Hernández ($5.0m), does meet the Scouting Bonus criteria. He started in Rounds 1 and 3 but has been benched every since.
Fantasy managers will have access to the France v Spain line-ups before the deadline, though, so he remains one to keep in mind should there be an unexpected call at left-back.
When assessing France’s attacking options, Adrien Rabiot ($6.4m) stands out as one of the strongest players who qualifies for Scouting Bonus.
Although he does not play as advanced as Michael Olise ($9.5m) or Ousmane Dembélé ($10.0m), who can now be considered template picks, Rabiot has still registered seven shots and created six chances. He has also become a regular in the France midfield, starting all but one of their matches during the tournament.
Several sources suggest that Aurélien Tchouaméni ($6.5m) could return to the starting XI ahead of Manu Koné ($6.1m), making it difficult to feel confident about selecting either player. Again, though, we’ll see the line-ups before the deadline.
SPAIN
Marcos Llorente ($5.5m) appears to be the only Spain defender with realistic Scouting Bonus potential. However, he has not started a match since his run-out in Round 3, making him difficult to seriously consider before the line-ups arrive.
If manager Luis de la Fuente decides to take a different approach against France and names Llorente in the starting XI, then he could become a very viable option. With Fantasy managers having access to the teamsheets before the deadline, he is certainly one to keep in mind.
Spain have several attacking options to mull over. Again, having access to the line-ups will be crucial when deciding between them.
There should be little doubt over Rodri ($7.5m) starting, as he has played close to 90 minutes in every Spain match so far. The bigger concern is his attacking potential. He is yet to register a shot on target, but no teammate has created more chances than the Manchester City midfielder. Rodri has also collected tackle bonus in three matches, which adds slightly to his appeal.
Fabián Ruiz ($6.8m) could also come into consideration. There is no guarantee that he starts ahead of Pedri ($8.1m) again, but after scoring against Belgium in his most recent start, he may a modicum of Fantasy interest. Only three Spain midfielders have registered more shots than Ruiz, which offers some encouragement.
Further forward, the recent performances of Álex Baena ($6.0m) could lead to a change on the left wing. In-game forward Ferran Torres ($7.8m) replaced him during the quarter-final, although he also struggled to make an impact.
We could even see the 1.6%-owned Nico Williams ($7.8m) start the semi-final. However, after only recently returning from injury, there would be serious doubts over how many minutes he could manage.
And could Mikel Merino ($6.2m) get a promotion after back-to-back goals off the bench?
All names to keep an eye on when the starting XIs drop.
