Fifa World Cup fantasy football 2018 tips: who to pick for the quarter-finals with 3 free transfers

We’re getting to the business end of the World Cup, and with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi going home it’s all to play for when it comes to fantasy football. Ronaldo was one of the highest scoring players on the official Fifa fantasy game, and Messi looked like he might start shooting up the charts too, but Portugal and Argentina were sent packing in the last 16. That may have screwed up a fair few fantasy teams – over 113,000 users have had to transfer Ronaldo out – but of course, when one door closes another opens. It’s been a wild, unpredictable World Cup, which is certainly making it harder in terms of predicting which players might score bucketloads of fantasy points. Not many would have seen Russia beating Spain, or Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois shipping two goals against Japan. But we go again, and you can now select up to five players from a single team for the quarter-finals, though your budget is still the same at €105 million. WHO SHOULD I SIGN? Strikers You don’t have to believe it’s coming home to agree that Harry Kane (€11.2 million, 34 points) is on fire right now, adding his sixth goal of the tournament from the penalty spot against Colombia. He also won his second spot kick in Russia – each worth two points – after being grappled to the ground in the box again from a corner. It seems defenders just don’t know what to do with the Tottenham man from set pieces. The England striker is out on his own as the highest fantasy points scorer at the World Cup and has been captained by more users (14 per cent) than any other player. He’s also been transferred in by 87,000 users, and with Sweden up next in the quarter-finals, Kane has a great chance to keep on rolling. Only Kylian Mbappe (€9 million, 21 points) has been transferred in by more users – a whopping 186,000 of you – than Kane for the last eight. The 19-year-old France striker arrived on the international stage by scoring his second and third goals of the tournament against Argentina, and also got an assist. Can the Paris Saint-Germain forward break down Uruguay’s stubborn defence, though? Mbappe’s PSG striker partner Edinson Cavani (€9.5 million, 20 points) burst into life with two goals of his own as Uruguay beat Portugal, taking his tally for the tournament to three. The PSG pair could be going up against each other but Cavani is an injury doubt for the game, after coming off with a calf problem. Luis Suarez (€10.5 million, 19 points) is also ticking along nicely up front for Uruguay, grabbing the assist for Cavani’s first goal. The Barcelona striker will certainly be needed to inspire his country if Cavani doesn’t make it. The third member of PSG’s star forward trio, Neymar (€12.0 million, 18 points) is also starting to hit form with a goal and an assist for Brazil against Mexico. Petulance aside, he is growing into the tournament as Brazil’s talisman and 9 per cent of fantasy users have captained him. Midfielders Philippe Coutinho (€9.2 million, 23 points) is the leading fantasy midfielder and has accordingly been captained by 4 per cent of users. He didn’t add to his two goals and one assist against Mexico, but the Barcelona star is still shining for the Selecao. If you fancy a punt on a bargain midfielder, Sweden winger Viktor Cl aesson (€5.6 million, 18 points) has been selected by 10.9 per cent of players and is ticking along nicely. Denis Cheryshev (€5.7 million, 20 points) has the second-most points for a midfielder but that is mostly down to his heroics in Russia’s first two games. He scored an own goal in the 3-0 defeat by Uruguay and had another quiet outing in the shock win against Spain. Will he be able to rediscover his early form against Croatia? Speaking of Croatia, Luka Modric (€9.1 million, 19 points) had a bit of a shocker against Denmark, missing a penalty in the second half of extra time. Still, over 78,000 users have transferred him in for the quarter-finals – maybe they feel he’ll have a bit more joy against the hosts, who certainly rode their luck to beat Spain. Defenders Brazil centre back Thiago Silva (€6.1 million, 26 points) is fourth on the overall points scoring charts after another clean sheet against Mexico – his third of the tournament. The PSG man is the second fourth most valuable player at the tournament in terms of fantasy, with 4.2 points scored per million, and has been transferred in by 70,000 users. The only defenders above Silva are all from Sweden, who got a third clean sheet of the tournament against Switzerland. With two goals to boot, Andreas Granqvist (€5.2 million, 31 points) is the second highest points scorer, and the most valuable player (5.9 points per million). Ludwig Augustinsson (€5.1 million, 25 points) isn’t too far behind, and is the second most valuable player (4.9 points per million) in the game. If you fancy England to edge that one then John Stones (€5.9 million, 19 points) might be your man, though the Three Lions are yet to keep a clean sheet. Uruguay may have conceded their first goal of the tournament against Portugal, but Diego Godin (€5.7 million, 20 points), Jose Gimenez (€5.7 million, 20 points) and Martin Caceres (€5.7 million, 20 points) are all great value bets for a clean sheet. Goalkeepers Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera (€5.7 million, 23 points) picked the ball out of his net for the first time at the World Cup against Portugal, but he still picked up three points and made a string of saves. With Denmark’s Kasper Schmeichel heading home from the tournament, Muslera is highest among goalkeepers in fantasy points scoring. Robin Olsson (€5 million, 22 points) is also scoring highly, with three clean sheets, but will Sweden be able to keep out England in the quarter-finals? Brazil’s Alisson (€6.0 million, 20 pints) is closing behind after a third clean sheet himself. Brazil are looking defensively sound, but quarter-final opponents Belgium have scored 12 goals in four games.

Fifa World Cup fantasy football 2018 tips: who to pick for the quarter-finals with 3 free transfers

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}With limited transfers on Fifa’s official game, you’ll need to choose your picks wisely ahead of the Russia 2018 quarter-finals

With limited transfers on Fifa’s official game, you’ll need to choose your picks wisely ahead of the Russia 2018 quarter-finals