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In 2024 Summer Olympics men’s soccer action, host nation France and the United States meet Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET (USA Network / Peacock / Telemundo). Kickoff is at Orange Velodrome in Marseille, France. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines for the France vs. United States, and make our expert Summer Olympic picks and predictions.
France and United States meet in their opening match of Group A play. The group also includes Guinea and New Zealand, which face off earlier in the day.
French manager Thierry Henry has an inexperienced, but talented U23 group. France (+210) is the gold medal favorite, slightly ahead of Argentina (+240) and Spain (+280) before the odds get much longer for the other competing nations.
France is led by Alexandre Lacazette, who plays for Lyon in France’s top tier Ligue 1. The talented striker played for Arsenal in the English Premier League for 5 seasons (2017-2022).
While there are 3 overage spots available to include players older than 23 years of age, France will not have star and usual team captain F Kylian Mbappe. His new employer Real Madrid was against the idea of its big investment competing in the Olympic format.
Meanwhile, Team USA won’t have F Christian Pulisic. The Americans qualified for the Olympic tournament for the first time since the 2008 games in Beijing. Despite no Pulisic, manager Marko Mitrovic has a talented U23 squad. GK Gaga Slonina is top-notch, and the team features F’s Paxten Aaronson and Taylor Booth, as well as MF Gianluca Busio to provide the scoring.
- Men’s soccer: Gold medals picks and predictions
France vs. United States odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:23 a.m. ET.
- 3-way moneyline (ML): France -240 (bet $240 to win $100) | United States +600 (bet $100 to win $600) | Draw +360
- 2-way spread: France -1.5 (+130) | United States +1.5 (-160)
- Over/Under (O/U): 2.5 (O: -145 | U: +109)
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France vs. United States picks and predictions
Prediction
France 1, United States 0
Moneyline
Look for the host nation France (-240) to get off to a quick start. However, risking nearly 2½ times your potential return is quite a bit, and there is just not enough reward.
Instead, it’s a good idea to play HALF-TIME RESULT DRAW (+135). This match kicks off prior to the opening ceremonies. Expect the energy to be a bit low, and the play uneven as these 2 young sides get started. It will take a while to feel each other out and gain any offensive momentum.
2-way Line/Against the spread
UNITED STATES +1.5 (-160) is worth look as this team definitely isn’t devoid of talent. The USMNT should at least be able to hang around and keep it within a goal … even in facing the host nation.
It’s likely a good thing that this young USA squad is facing the hosts earlier rather than later as France should gain steam and confidence as the tournament goes on.
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Over/Under
UNDER 2.5 (+109) at plus-money might be the best play on the board.
Yes, we have some young players on both sides, and they’ll be excited to try and make a name for themselves. But, again, this is before the Olympics really kick into gear with opening ceremonies taking place Friday.
There won’t be a ton of attention on Wednesday’s match, which should get off to a very, very slow start before the offense takes root and starts developing a little chemistry and consistency.
Check out Pro Soccer Wire: For the American soccer fan, USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s website provides a fresh look at the beautiful game.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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More USA TODAY Summer Olympics coverage:
News | Medal count | Meet Team USA
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