World Cup predictions for June 30: Wins for France and Mexico, Ivory Coast vs. Norway goal-fest

There are three more World Cup last 32 games coming your way on Tuesday, all very interesting in different ways. Côte d'Ivoire's clash with Norway in Texas should produce a goal-fest, and we give the Nordic nation the slight edge to prevail.

After that, France should swat Sweden aside at MetLife, with Kylian Mbappé looking to add to his 60 goals for les Bleus — one of which came in Stockholm in 2020. To conclude the day's action, Mexico and Ecuador go head-to-head in Mexico City and, roared on by a partisan home crowd at the Azteca, el Tri are targeting a first knockout stage win in four decades.

Below, check out our complete guide to Tuesday's World Cup knockout matches, including kickoff times, TV info, previews and predictions.

World Cup games and predictions for Tuesday, June 30

Ivory Coast vs. Norway

• Prediction: Ivory Coast 2-3 Norway; Erling Braut Håland 2+ goals and Yan Diomande 4+ successful dribbles.
• Watchability rating: 4/5 (Worth your time)

Two of the most impressive teams from the group stage go head-to-head at Jerry World, both targeting an historic victory. Competing at a fourth World Cup, Côte d'Ivoire have reached the knockout stages for the very first time. Emerse Faé's team beat both Ecuador and Curaçao in Group E, very unfortunate not to also win when they led Germany before beating beaten 2-1 right at the death.

Nevertheless, getting through to the round of 32 was les Éléphants' primary objective, so how far can they go? Well, the 2024 African champions' main strength is their wingers, with Nicolas Pépé scoring twice last Thursday while teenager Yan Diomande is reportedly valued at over $115 million. Thus, can Côte d'Ivoire's attacking stars fire them to victory in Arlington?

Well, the same question could be posed of Norway. Back at the World Cup for the first time since '98, the Lions first beat both Iraq and Senegal, with Erling Braut Håland bagging a brace in each. Then, already assured to advance, Ståle Solbakken made 10 changes against France on Friday, a match his side lost 4-1 in Foxborough. It's a decision that will only be vindicated if they are victorious here.

Norway have never won a World Cup knockout game, beaten in the round of 16 by Italy in 1938 and 1998 — both times in Marseille, which is a bizarre coincidence. This, though, is a different Norwegian team, spearheaded by Martin Ødegaard, Alexander Sørloth and of course Håland. Thus, we think Norway's star-studded attack will, just about, see them overcome Ivory Coast, but it is tough to call.

France vs. Sweden

• Prediction: France 3-1 Sweden; Kylian Mbappé 2+ goals and Ousmane Dembélé 2+ shots on target.
• Watchability rating: 4/5 (Worth your time)

Over in East Rutherford, picking a winner from this tie is a lot more clear-cut. France were arguably the most impressive team of any in the group stages, winning all three matches and scoring 10 goals. Kylian Mbappé scored twice against both Senegal and Iraq, with Ousmane Dembélé bagging a first-ever major tournament goal in the latter. Having broken that duck, the Ballon d'Or winner then netted a first-half hat trick during Friday's 4-1 demolition of Norway's reserves in Foxborough.

This is the first time les Bleus have won all three group games since '98, when they won their first-ever World Cup on home soil. Didier Deschamps was captain back then, with this now his farewell tournament as head coach. Many are forecasting that France will be back at in East Rutherford for the final in two and a half weeks time, very much expected to cruise to victory here.

As for Sweden, their group stage campaign was very up and down. Graham Potter's team first demolished Tunisia 5-1, only to then be hammered by the same scoreline against the Netherlands six days later. After that, on Thursday, Anthony Elanga's beautiful curler saw the Blågult hold Japan to a 1-1 draw in Texas — a crucial goal because, without it, they would've been heading home.

Sweden have reached at least the last 16 each of the last four times they've appeared at the World Cup, including a quarterfinal appearance in 2018 and a third-place finish at USA '94. Potter's team right now is very top-heavy, boasting top-class attackers like Elanga, Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres while suspect defensively. France have won four of their last five meetings with Sweden, most recently prevailing 4-2 in Paris in 2020, and a similar scoreline is expected at MetLife.

Mexico vs. Ecuador

• Prediction: Mexico 1-0 Ecuador; Both teams 2+ cards and Julián Quiñones 2+ shots.
• Watchability rating: 3/5 (For the diehards)

To conclude Tuesday's action, will Mexico finally secure that illusive quinto partido? This World Cup campaign could not have gone any better for el Tri so far, winning all three matches without so much as conceding a goal. As a result, momentum is really building, with supporters believing that Javier Aguirre's team could achieve something special.

At all seven World Cups between '94 and 2018, Mexico fell in exactly the round of 16, a streak ended by their group phase exit in Qatar. Thus, el Tri have not played a fifth game, known as a quinto partido, since they last hosted in 1986. Of course, in this expanded format, victory here would only take them to the round of 16 again, but that tie would also be played at the Azteca — and, with a raucous home crowd behind them, Aguirre's side will be very difficult to eliminate.

Ecuador have already upset the odds just to be here, so can they do it again? Sebastián Beccacece's team looked dead and buried when a 1-0 defeat to Côte d'Ivoire was followed by a goalless draw with Curaçao, failing to convert any of their 26 shots (of which a whopping 15 were on target). La Selección were on the brink when they went 1-0 down to Germany on Thursday, but Nilson Angulo equalized soon after before Gonzalo Plata hooked home a dramatic last-gasp winner.

This is only Ecuador's second appearance in the knockout phase, after 2006, but considering they've conceded just 11 goals across their last 25 competitive matches, they won't be easy to oust. At Copa América 2024, Mexico had to win in Arizona in the final group game, but it ended 0-0 as Ecuador advanced at their expense. The pair's last three clashes have all been draws, producing just two goals, so don't expect a classic — but Mexico should make home advantage count.

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