Sporting Life
MOHAMED SALAH - WORLD CUP SPECIALS PREVIEW

World Cup 2026 betting tips: Specials, predictions and best bets

Football
Tue June 02, 2026 · 3h ago

Football betting tips: World Cup

Joe Townsend

2pts Egypt top African team at 7/1 (General)

Jimmy 'The Punt'

1pt e.w. James Rodriguez most assists at 100/1 (William Hill, 1/4 1,2,3,4)

0.5pt e.w. Maximiliano Araujo most assists at 200/1 (bet365, 1/4 1,2,3,4)

Jake Osgathorpe

2pts e.w. Lionel Messi most assists at 12/1 (bet365, BOYLESports, 1/4 1,2,3,4)

0.5pt e.w. Arda Guler most assists at 100/1 (General, 1/4 1,2,3,4)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair

Joe Townsend

There are reasons to oppose the leaders in the TOP AFRICAN TEAM market and instead back EGYPT at 7/1.

Morocco and Senegal lead the way, but the former's longstanding coach Walid Regragui resigned in late March after four years of unprecedented success and the latter have been drawn in an especially strong group alongside France, Norway and Iraq.

Both countries also head to North America under a high level of scrutiny following January's shambolic AFCON final, the result of which has since been overturned, with Morocco now declared the winners despite losing a match in which Senegal protested a penalty decision by retreating to their dressing room.

Ivory Coast are next in the betting but face a challenging group that includes Germany and Ecuador, a problem EGYPT do not have as they take on Iran, New Zealand and Belgium.

Remarkably, Egypt have never won a match at a World Cup. They could hardly have wished for a better opportunity to do so, and spearheaded by a front two of Mohamed Salah and Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush they have a great chance to make a deep run this summer.

Jimmy 'The Punt'

Since the turn of the century (six World Cups), four assists has been enough to take top prize in the MOST ASSISTS market. Five players tied on three in Qatar 2022 and in the 2018 tournament in Russia, 19 players finished joint-first with two.

Naturally, I’ve been suckered in by a couple of the bigger prices this summer.

Firstly, I am running it back to the 2014 goal of the tournament winner and competitions top goalscorer JAMES RODRIGUEZ. Eight years down the line and the 34-year-old is still an integral part of this Colombian side.

Operating in the free-role behind Luis Diaz and Luis Suarez, he takes the penalties and all the set pieces. The latter could be pivotal because Los Cafeteros were lethal from dead balls in qualification.

Rodriguez topped the assist charts in CONMEBOL (7) and did the same at 2024 Copa America (6).

So, at 100/1 and playing for a nation I fancy to score a few, his price to set up the most goals this summer appeals.

Uruguay’s MAXIMILIANO ARAUJO’s price of 200/1 is also worth a tout.

A left back by trade, he is often utilised in a more advanced position for his nation by Marcelo Bielsa.

He set up four goals in qualification (joint-second) where La Celeste were one of the best attacking outfits.

Both these bets are backed with each way terms of 1,2,3,4 1/4 odds.

Jake Osgathorpe

Jimmy's gone big with prices in the MOST ASSISTS market, but I can't look past LIONEL MESSI at 12/1 - the man for the big occasion.

The Argentine magician look well placed to win this betting heat and extend his excellent assist record at World Cups, with his creativity and weight of pass simply the best in the business - still.

Should he get just one assist in the US, he will be move past Diego Maradona as the player to provide the most assists in World Cup history.

He finished in a tied for second on three assists in 2010, managed just one in 2014 before finishing tied first in 2018 with two (along with 18 other players). In Argentina's winning 2022 campaign he added a further three assists, finishing tied first in this market.

That means, had you backed him in the last four tournaments you would be comfortably in profit, with Messi in the frame in three of those.

This time around it could be argued that this Argentina side have more attacking weapons at their disposal, and given his age, Messi himself could play the role of provider even more than usual. He's also his side's set-piece taker too.

With Argentina fancied to go deep in the tournament once again, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him in the mix for a the fourth World Cup in five.

I'll also put up a triple-figure price in the same MOST ASSISTS market, with ARDA GÜLER far too big at 100/1 in my opinion.

Türkiye's generational talent had a good season with Real Madrid, establishing himself in the starting XI, and carried his form to the international stage too.

Arda Güler is the creative spark for a good Türkiye team

He registered four assists in European World Cup qualifying, which was the joint second most, and made two when just breaking into the team at the last Euros.

For Real Madrid this season he contributed 16 assists across all competitions and nine in La Liga at an average of 0.40 per 90, and like Messi is on set-piece duty, though he does share those.

His supporting cast is much better than a few years ago too, and with his nation in a very winnable group against sides in Paraguay and Australia who will be happy to sit deep and frustrate, Güler could come to the fore for his nation who should have a winnable round of 32 tie should they finish in the top two of Group D.

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