Best Anytime Goalscorer Bets for Round of 32
- Nicolas Pepe, Côte d’Ivoire (+330)
- Ousmane Dembele, France (+105)
- No Goalscorer, Ecuador/Mexico (+500)
Best Anytime Goalscorer Bets for Round of 32
Nicolas Pepe, Côte d’Ivoire (+330)
This is a fascinating matchup between Côte d’Ivoire and Norway. Norway is not a very complete team, but has arguably the most dangerous striker in the world, Erling Haaland. Côte d’Ivoire is a more balanced side, but lacks a superstar like Haaland. However, Côte d’Ivoire did seem to find the right lineup in its final group game against Curaçao. They set up in a 4-4-2, with Nicolas Pepe and Ange-Yoan Bonny up top. Pepe ended up scoring two goals for Côte d’Ivoire and winning them the match.
Côte d’Ivoire should start those two players up top once again, giving them a real goal-scoring threat. Norway can be vulnerable at the back, as it gave up two goals to Senegal and four goals to France. This match should be relatively open, with both teams trying to get the ball to their attacking players and pushing for goals. Nicolas Pepe is the man with all of the confidence after his brace against Curaçao. Pepe scored eight goals in La Liga for Villarreal and is always a threat to score. I’ll back him to find a way through against Norway and score a massive knockout stage goal.
Ousmane Dembele, France (+105)
Ousmane Dembele is another player coming into the Round of 32 with heaps of confidence. He scored a first-half hat trick in France’s romp against Norway. The 2025 Ballon d’Or winner has had an incredible couple of years, winning the highest individual award in football and winning back-to-back Champions League titles. Now, he wants to be that player for his nation as well. Dembele was on the 2018 World Cup-winning France team, but did not get many minutes. He is now a world-class player, who is only the No. 2 option because he plays alongside Kylian Mbappe. However, Dembele has a great chance to score a goal in this match.
Dembele dealt with injuries last season in Paris, but he scored 10 goals in 11 starts in Ligue One for PSG. Dembele also rose to the occasion constantly in the Champions League, scoring eight goals in 11 starts, including the equalizer in the final against Arsenal. He has scored in each of his past two games at this World Cup and should keep it rolling in the knockout stage. Sweden can be exposed at the back, as evidenced by the Netherlands putting five goals past them in the group stage. If they are shaky at the back, France and Dembele will punish them with multiple goals.
No Goalscorer, Mexico/Ecuador (+500)
My best bet for the Mexico vs. Ecuador match is for there to be no goals in the 90 minutes. Ecuador is one of the best defensive teams in this tournament. They are well-coached and disciplined, but also have great talents in the defensive areas. Piero Hincapie, Willian Pacho and Moises Caicedo are all high-level players, not to mention the group of veterans around them who are willing to run as much as necessary.
So far in this tournament, Ecuador allowed a 90th-minute winner to Côte d’Ivoire, kept a clean sheet against Curaçao and only allowed one goal to Germany. However, they have also struggled to score, failing to score against both Côte d’Ivoire and Curaçao. So, they have already played one nil-nil match against Curaçao in this tournament.
Meanwhile, Mexico has been spectacular defensively in this tournament. Mexico and Spain are the only two nations that kept clean sheets in all three of their group stage matches. Ecuador is going to pack it in defensively and try to stop the Mexico attack. That should allow Mexico to be comfortable defensively and keep a fourth consecutive World Cup clean sheet. There is a real chance this match is goalless after 90 minutes, so I’ll take the +500 odds on no goalscorer.
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