2026 World Cup Best Player Prop Picks, Odds, Predictions for Thursday, July 2, 2026
The 2026 World Cup Round of 32 enters its final stretch with 10 teams already through to the Round of 16. Thursday’s three matchups are headlined by some of UEFA’s best, with Algeria the only non-European side in action. Here’s a look at each matchup before the best player props of the day.v
Spain and Austria open things up at 3 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with Spain entering as heavy favorites. La Roja are one of two teams yet to concede a goal, going unbeaten through Group H. They now face an Austrian side whose dramatic 90th-minute equalizer in stoppage time on matchday three clinched their spot in the knockout stage.
Moving into the early evening, two European heavyweights meet at BMO Field in Toronto at 7 p.m. ET. Portugal and Croatia face each other at the World Cup for the first time, having last met in the UEFA Nations League in 2024. Both sides field some of the most experienced players in the competition, headlined by captains and former Real Madrid teammates Luka Modrić and Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal enters as slight favorites despite an underwhelming group stage.
The night’s final match kicks off at 11 p.m. ET with Algeria taking on Switzerland in Vancouver. The two sides meet for the first time ever, with Switzerland slight favorites to advance to the Round of 16. The Swiss have now reached the knockout stage for the fourth consecutive World Cup, though they have failed to win any of their last three knockout matches. They face an Algerian side making its first knockout-stage appearance since 2014.
Here are the best player props for Thursday, July 2. Make sure to check out our World Cup match trends page for daily odds, insights, and betting data for each game.
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Thursday’s Best 2026 World Cup Player Props
- Lamine Yamal (Spain) – Over 4.5 Shots (+135)
- Bruno Fernandes (Portugal) – Over 0.5 Goals + Assists (+120)
- Luca Zidane (Algeria) – Over 3.5 Saves
Lamine Yamal (Spain) – Over 4.5 Shots (+135)
Yamal entered the 2026 World Cup managing an injury and was used sparingly during the group stage, playing just 140 combined minutes across the three matches and scoring once. Now that Spain is into the knockout rounds, expect the 18-year-old to be given more freedom and heavier minutes.
He has taken eight total shots in his 140 minutes on the pitch, ranking second on the squad in shots per game at 2.7. He now faces an Austria side that is unlikely to simply sit back and absorb pressure, having conceded just 11.67 shots per game in the group stage — far fewer than Spain’s average of 18.3. Expect Yamal to account for a large share of those attempts as Spain looks to make comfortable work of the Group J runners-up.
Bruno Fernandes (Portugal) – Over 0.5 Goals + Assists (+120)
After a hugely influential 2022 World Cup, Fernandes has been relatively quiet through Portugal’s first three matches, managing just one assist and no goals. Despite the lack of an end product, the Premier League’s single-season assists record holder has continued to create, leading the squad in big chances created (2) and xA (1.13) heading into the knockout stage.
There is little doubt the Manchester United midfielder will keep finding himself in dangerous positions against a Croatia side that struggled defensively during the group stage. Zlatko Dalić’s team conceded five goals across three matches and now faces a Portuguese side overdue for a strong attacking showing. Expect Fernandes to finally break his goal contribution drought in the Round of 32.
Luca Zidane (Algeria) – 4+ Saves
After a difficult World Cup debut against Argentina, Zidane bounced back with a solid showing against Jordan on matchday two. He started two of Algeria’s three group matches before being replaced by Oussama Benbot on matchday three, a game in which Algeria conceded three goals. Expect Zidane to reclaim his starting spot for the knockout stage.
He made three saves in each of his two starts and now faces a Swiss attack that has been one of the most consistent in the tournament. Switzerland created 4.3 big chances per game and averaged six shots on target per contest in the group stage. Zidane should have plenty of opportunities to add to his save tally and will look to improve on the 60% save percentage he carries into the Round of 32.
Photo Credit: REUTERS
