The opening round of the UEFA EURO 2024 Qualifiers continues Friday, March 24, so we are breaking down the marquee matchup from Stade de France to get you the best France vs. Netherlands betting pick, tips, and odds.
France – Netherlands Betting Tip, Prediction & Odds (24.3.2023)
Friday brings one of the most interesting matches of the 2024 EURO Qualifiers. A couple of heavyweights lock horns at Stade de France in Saint-Denis in what could be a pivotal clash for the Blues and Oranje, so let’s take a closer look.
France vs. Netherlands: Initial Situation
Group B is one of the most intriguing in the upcoming qualifiers, and both France and Netherlands will have to work hard to secure a top-two finish. Gibraltar are massive underdogs, but both Greece and Ireland could make things quite interesting.
France Stats & Form
The Blues are coming off a heartbreaking defeat to Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final. After erasing a 2-0 deficit, the Blues lost in a penalty shootout and failed to become back-to-back World Cup champions. Last year, France also played in the UEFA Nations League and finished third in Group A1 with just five points (W1, D2, L3) and a 5:7 goal difference.
Didier Deschamps enters his 11th year at the Blues’ helm. He’s recorded 89 wins, 28 draws, and 22 losses thus far. The 24-year-old forward Kylian Mbappe (66 caps, 36 goals) is undoubtedly a key player in this France team, and Deschamps can count on a lot of talented young players. Still, the 31-year-old forward Antoine Griezmann and the 36-year-old striker Olivier Giroud remain important members of Deschamps’ starting eleven.
Netherlands Stats & Form
The Flying Dutchmen also suffered a loss against Argentina on penalties in the 2022 World Cup. They exited in the quarterfinal, remaining unbeaten through 90 minutes for the 20th straight match. Netherlands’ last defeat came in the Euro 2020 Round of 16 when they lost to Czech Republic 2-0. Since then, Oranje have recorded 14 wins and six draws.
Last year, the Flying Dutchman finished the UEFA Nations League atop Group A4 with 16 points (W5, D1). Ronald Koeman replaced Louis van Gaal at the helm after the World Cup, and Koeman was in charge from 2018 to 2020, recording 11 wins, five draws, and four losses in that span. Memphis Depay (86 caps, 43 goals) and Cody Gakpo (14 caps, six goals) will continue to lead the frontline, while Virgil van Dijk (54 caps, six goals) remains Oranje’s defensive rock.
France – Netherlands: Head-to-Head
The Blues and Oranje meet for the first time since the 2018 UEFA Nations League when they split a two-game set. Each side emerged victorious at home, and France beat Netherlands 2-1 at Stade de France with Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud scoring for the Blues. Oranje have lost five of their previous six meetings with France.
France – Netherlands Odds
The Blues are favorites in front of the home audience, and 1.87 at Unibet Sportsbook is a fair prize despite Oranje’s ridiculous streak. France arguably possess more attacking weapons than the Netherlands, though the bookmakers don’t look for a high-scoring affair, setting Under 2.5 Goals around 1.75 odds.
France will control the ball in the middle of the park and dominate possession. Their midfield seems superior technique-wise, though Oranje are a tough, physical team. Beating the Netherlands won’t be an easy task by any means, but I would lean on Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann to make a difference.
Betting tip and prediction: France – Netherlands (24.3.2023)