The FIFA World Cup finally gets underway in Qatar this weekend and there are 32 teams vying for the top prize - but who will come out on top?
France will be fancied to go a similar distance this time around after they claimed the Coupe du Monde in Russia back in 2018.
Under Gareth Southgate and with a talented squad of players, England will be hoping to go one better than their Euro 2020 final loss against Italy and secure a first major trophy since winning this competition back in 1966.
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Argentina will have Lionel Messi on board for potentially one last ride as the 35-year-old looks to finally add a World Cup to his glittering resumé.
His counterpart with Portugal Cristiano Ronaldo has not won this competition either and he will also be looking to win big with Portugal.
Here are some of the best bets ahead of the action getting underway.
Overall Winner
While Brazil are tournament favourites and have a seemingly straightforward group phase to work out of with Switzerland, Serbia and Cameroon for company, there are other good value options among the well-established World Cup Finals nations.
With seven wins in qualifying, the Netherlands look primed to have a strong showing in Qatar.
First up for them in the group is Senegal, and while that may be a tough battle on paper, the great African hope have recently been struck by the news that their talisman Sadio Mane will miss the tournament through injury.
That certainly puts the Netherlands in the driving seat in Group A and it will perhaps be a springboard for them well beyond the group stages.
Other than Senegal, they face Ecuador and tournament hosts Qatar in Group A and they look very likely to top the group.
Do that and they would then face off against the runners-up from Group B in the Last 16.
That contains England, Wales, Iran and the USA and assuming England top the standings there, there is every possibility the Netherlands could be facing an outfit less accustomed to knockout tournament football at the Last 16 hurdle as they would face Group B runners-up as winners of Group A.
With Virgil van Dijk captaining the side after missing the squad's Euro 2020 outing through injury, the Netherlands look like a side who can be trusted at the back; alongside van Dijk will be Matthijs de Ligt to consolidate the rearguard.
Other experienced campaigners include Daley Blind, Stefan de Vrij and Memphis Depay and they will certainly make their way through the tournament with all the beneifts of an experienced core of players.
Depay can provide goals at the top end of the pitch and players like Frenkie de Jong should shine on the grandest stage of them all.
They can be backed at odds of 14/1 and appear very good value before the tournament kicks off.
Top Goalscorer
With Denmark, Tunisia and Australia facing France in Group D, there is every likelihood Kylian Mbappe will run riot in the early stages of the tournament.
The PSG marksman had five goals in qualifying for the World Cup and France are looking highly likely to emerge from their group on top of the pile.
Mbappe will be in the thick of the action with Les Bleus and with the likes of Tunisia and Australia in his way, he might fancy himself to notch a couple of goals early on in proceedings - and find the desired momentum coming into the knockout stages to add to his goal tally.
He can be backed at odds of 8/1 to claim the Golden Boot.
Team to reach semi-final
While they may have Belgium for company in Group F, Croatia will also face Morocco and Canada and it is very likely that they will come through the group stage one way or another.
Their match with Belgium will most likely be pivotal in determining the group winner, and it is a battle early on in the tournament that might just stand them in good stead as time goes on.
It cannot be forgotten that Croatia were themselves just one step away from the ultimate glory back in Russia in 2018, where France pipped them in the final.
They were led on that occasion by an ageing but thriving Luka Modric in the middle of the park - and they come into this tournament four years on continuing to be led by the Real Madrid star.
Modric has shown no signs of reducing his influence on the pitch and Croatia may yet be inspired once again by the midfield man.
They make not quite make it to the final, but with odds of 6/1 on them reaching a semi-final it may be worth a look.
Match winner - Group Stages
There are always surprise results served up at a major tournament, and this year's showpiece in Qatar will surely be no different.
As the host nation are always in action in the first game of the tournament, it brings about the potential for a stirring opening in front of the home fans.
It must be factored in that in the last three World Cups, the host nation have either won or drawn their opening game.
In 2018, Russia thumped Saudi Arabia 5-0 to get the tournament underway.
Brazil had a 3-1 win over Croatia in their 2014 opener.
And back in 2010, with the soundtrack provided by the many vuvuzelas in the crowd, Siphiwe Tshabalala sent the South African crowd wild as he scored the opening goal of the tournament against Mexico.
That match ultimately ended in a 1-1 draw, but there is evidence to suggest that the host nation can come up trumps on the opening day, even if they do not repeat that form for the rest of the tournament.
With that in mind, Qatar are 11/5 to beat Ecuador, a side who did well in qualifying for the World Cup but who also may be slightly overawed by the occasion on the opening day.
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