World Cup Best Player Prop Picks, Odds, Predictions for Thursday, July 9, 2026
The conclusion of the Round of 16 has set up an exciting quarterfinal slate, beginning Thursday afternoon with a rematch of one of the 2022 World Cup’s most memorable matchups. Current tournament favorites France take on Morocco, with both sides meeting deep in the knockout stage for the second consecutive World Cup.
The last time these sides met was at the 2022 World Cup semifinals, when France ended Morocco’s Cinderella run with a 2-0 victory. The final African nation remaining in the tournament will look for revenge and a second consecutive World Cup semifinal appearance. France has won all five of their matches and enters as significant favorites to defeat Morocco in regulation.
Here are the best player props for Thursday, July 9. 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
- Kylian Mbappé (France) – Over 2.5 Shots on Target (+140)
- Michael Olise (France) – Over 0.5 Assists (+200)
- Yassine Bounou (Morocco) – Over 4.5 Saves (+200)
Kylian Mbappé (France) – Over 2.5 Shots on Target (+140)
Mbappé continues to cement his legacy with another remarkable World Cup performance. The 27-year-old sits just behind Lionel Messi in goals at this tournament and in the competition’s all-time standings. France’s all-time leading scorer has scored or assisted in all five of his appearances and will look to maintain that form as he pushes his side toward another semifinal.
Mbappé averages the third-most shots per game in the competition and is tied with Messi for the most shots on target at 3.4 per game. He has registered four shots on target in back-to-back matches and at least three in four of his five appearances. Morocco deployed a back five when these teams met four years ago and limited Mbappé, then operating on the left wing, to just one shot on target. The French superstar has played primarily as a central striker this tournament and has been far more productive from that position.
Michael Olise (France) – Over 0.5 Assists (+200)
Olise has carried his breakout club season at Bayern Munich onto the World Cup stage in his first tournament for France. The 24-year-old leads the competition with five assists in five appearances and will look to add to that tally on his way to the semifinal. He has firmly established himself as one of the world’s best right wingers, and his playmaking at this tournament has backed that up emphatically.
Olise averages 2.2 key passes per game and has accumulated 2.26 xA across his five appearances. Playing alongside some of the best attackers in the world has undoubtedly helped his numbers, but his own quality cannot be understated. Expect him to continue causing problems down the right flank and picking out France’s world-class finishers.
Yassine Bounou (Morocco) – Over 4.5 Saves (+200)
After a legendary 2022 World Cup campaign, Yassine Bounou has returned as Morocco’s first-choice keeper and has been in solid form throughout. The 35-year-old has not been tested heavily in the early stages of the tournament but will be increasingly called upon as Morocco faces stronger opposition in the knockout rounds.
Bounou is averaging just 1.8 saves per game and stopping shots at 69%. The Al-Hilal goalkeeper made four saves in the opener against Brazil but has not reached that mark in any of the four matches since. Given France’s attacking firepower, Bounou is likely to be far busier on Thursday than he has been recently. France averages a tournament-high 7.8 shots on target per game, and Bounou will need to be at his best if Morocco is to reach another World Cup semifinal. It is worth noting that France managed just two shots on target against Morocco in 2022, with Bounou saving neither.
