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.
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)
France vs. United States picks and predictions
Prediction
France 1, United States 0
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.
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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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.
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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