Belgium vs France Odds & Prediction – UEFA Nations League Semifinals
By Gary Gowers in Soccer News
Updated: October 7, 2021 at 7:48 am EDTPublished:
- It is Belgium vs France in the semifinal of the 2021 Nations League on Thursday, October 7 at 2:45 pm ET
- France qualified for this semifinal by winning Group A2, beating the current champions Portugal in the process
- We preview the game, look at the odds, and offer some picks below
Two of Europe’s soccer superpowers meet in Turin in the Juventus Stadium on Thursday, October 7 at 2:45 pm ET in the second semifinal of the 2021 UEFA Nations League. Belgium qualified for the semifinal by winning Group A2, while France beat the reigning champions Portugal to qualify from Group A3.
We list the odds, preview Belgium vs France, and offer below the best picks for this Nations League semi-final.
Belgium vs France Odds
| Matchup | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium vs France | BEL +0.5 (-200) | FRA -0.5 (+145) | BEL +195 | DRAW +205 | FRA +155 | Ov 2.5 (+115) | Un 2.5 (-155) |
Odds as of October 6 at DraftKings
Finally Time for Belgium’s Golden Generation?
Belgium’s much-heralded Golden Generation have promised much over the last decade but are yet to deliver a trophy. This, arguably, is their best chance yet to land some silverware and, with some of their key players edging towards or beyond 30, time is running out for them.
This could be their time. They were left disappointed at Euro 2020 when they lost to the eventual winners, Italy, at the quarterfinal stage, but coach Roberto Martinez will be desperate to avoid more disappointment.
Not here for the pasta. 🏆👀 #DEVILTIME pic.twitter.com/mUPwAZ4xLJ
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) October 6, 2021
The Red Devils are in excellent form and in the first three rounds of their World Cup qualifying group, against Estonia, the Czech Republic, and Belarus, they recorded three straight wins, scoring nine and conceding just twice. They have, in fact, lost just twice in their last 31 games in all competitions; one of those defeats coming in their Nations League qualifying group when they were beaten 2-1 by England at Wembley.
Eight Win from Nine for the Red Devils
The defeat by Gareth Southgate’s men was their only blemish in the group in which they scored 16 goals and conceded 6, and with Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku at the peak of their powers and Eden Hazard looking to find the form that has eluded him at Real Madrid, this is a make or break time for the Red Devils. With eight wins from their last nine, their form could hardly be better.
Work in progress. ⏳ #DEVILTIME pic.twitter.com/Fmw0QjrNh2
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) October 5, 2021
If they can edge past France in what is almost certain to be a tight, edgy game, Sunday’s showpiece event at San Siro could yet be the culmination of a decade of being either at the top or very near the top of FIFA’s world rankings.
Belgium vs France Head-to-Head Stats
| 6 | Qualifying games played | 6 |
| 5 | Wins | 5 |
| 0 | Draws | 1 |
| 1 | Losses | 0 |
| 16 | Goals For | 12 |
| 6 | Goals Against | 5 |
| W-W-L-W-W-W | Form Guide (All competitions) | D-D-L-D-D-W |
Deschamps Under Pressure
This is a French squad bursting full of high-quality, world-class players but their recent form has been indifferent, to say the least. They went into Euro 2000 with high hopes of going all the way, but despite making it out of what was known as the ‘group of death’ they fell at the first hurdle in the knockout phase. After drawing 3-3 with Switzerland after extra-time, they were beaten 5-4 on penalties; a result that led to questions being asked of coach Didier Deschamps.
Les Bleus are at Clairefontaine to prepare for the Final 4 of the UEFA Nations League👊#FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/20fJ5gJxcg
— French Team ⭐⭐ (@FrenchTeam) October 5, 2021
The start to their recent World Cup qualifying group has been equally unconvincing, with consecutive 1-1 draws with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ukraine in games 1 and 2, although they did manage a win in game 3 when they beat Finland 2-0 in the Stade de France – with Antoine Griezmann scoring both goals.
French in Desperate Need for a Win
The win over Finland saw them end a run of five games without a win in all competitions – one that has increased the pressure on Deschamps – and while it is yet to become a crisis, France is in urgent need of a win to quieten down some of the dissenting voices in the French media. On a more positive note, they have only lost once in their last 14 games (competitive games and friendlies) and they qualified for this semifinal in style by taking 16 points out of a possible 18 in a group that included Portugal, Croatia, and Sweden.
✅ All the players have arrived
🔜The first training session of the week #FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/1MFzVTXn6Q— French Team ⭐⭐ (@FrenchTeam) October 4, 2021
The last time these two met competitively was in the 2018 World Cup when Les Bleus beat Belgium 1-0 in the semifinal on their way to winning the big prize in Moscow. It was, however, their only win against the Red Devils in their last four meetings.
Belgium vs France Prediction
France will miss N’golo Kante in the center of their midfield after the Chelsea star tested positive for coronavirus, and at a time when they are already struggling, this could be decisive. If Hazard, De Bruyne, and Lukaku can win their personal battles, then the French could be in for a tough evening, and at +195 there is some decent value in the Belgium win.
Pick: Belgium to win (+195)
Sports Writer
Once just a sports fanatic, fan-turned-writer Gary Gowers has been featured on European television and radio networks to discuss several professional football clubs. His work can be found in an assortment of publications like The Metro, MyFootballWriter.com, and BBC Radio Norfolk.
