Bruno Fernandes tops Thursday ATGS picks as Round of 16 nears
Portugal's Bruno Fernandes at +270 is CBS Sports' standout anytime goalscorer (ATGS) pick for Thursday's Croatia clash, while Round-of-16 weekend guides from The Action Network and SportyTrader shift betting focus toward new knockout-stage targets including Jonathan David and Michael Olise. The 2026 World Cup's knockout rounds are accelerating fast, and sportsbooks are offering layered value beyond the obvious favourites.
Key Takeaways
- CBS Sports tabs Bruno Fernandes (+270), Lamine Yamal (+125), and Ibrahim Maza (+550) as Thursday's top ATGS bets.
- Portugal are -150 money-line favourites against Croatia (+470) in Thursday's Round of 32 fixture at 7 p.m. ET.
- SportyTrader highlights Michael Olise to score at +200 among Round-of-16 player props.
- The Action Network published a Saturday, July 4 goal-scorer guide as the Round of 16 begins.
- Cristiano Ronaldo (-110) leads Portugal's ATGS board, but analysts see better value elsewhere.
Three knockout matches landed on Thursday, July 2, according to CBS Sports: Austria vs. Spain, Croatia vs. Portugal at 7 p.m. ET, and Algeria vs. Switzerland at 11 p.m. ET. For more on how knockout-stage storylines intersect with offbeat sports culture, see our Bizarre World coverage.
Why is Bruno Fernandes CBS Sports' top Portugal ATGS pick?
Cristiano Ronaldo is the -110 favourite among anytime goalscorers for Croatia vs. Portugal at FanDuel, per CBS Sports. But James Holliman argues Fernandes offers more profit potential at +270.
Ronaldo gets the headlines, yet Fernandes is the steady hand in Portugal's attack. The Manchester United veteran closed the Premier League season with a goal against Brighton and added another in a friendly with Chile on June 6.
CBS expects him to open his World Cup account on Thursday. The 31-year-old has 29 goals in 92 international matches and knows how important this knockout game is.
Who else made CBS Sports' Thursday anytime goalscorer list?
Spain's Lamine Yamal heads the board at +125. The 18-year-old was held to one shot against Uruguay but fired five shots and scored in the rout of Saudi Arabia. CBS notes Spain lack clear scoring threats beyond Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal.
Algeria's Ibrahim Maza is the longshot at +550. The 20-year-old Bayer Leverkusen forward has seven shots over his past two games, posting 0.49 expected goals against Jordan and 0.60 against Austria — both team highs among players who failed to score.
What Round-of-16 player props does SportyTrader like?
With one knockout round done and four to go, SportyTrader is steering bettors toward Round-of-16 player props rather than straight match lines. Michael Olise to score at +200 is a headline pick.
Despite not yet scoring at the tournament, Olise has been influential for France — taking 14 shots and averaging 4.13 shots and 1.48 on target per 90 minutes. SportyTrader argues his first World Cup goal is close as Les Bleus face Paraguay.
Other Round-of-16 props flagged include David Moller Wolfe 2+ fouls (+125), Martin Odegaard 1+ shots on target (+200), Julian Quinones 1+ shots on target (-125), Elliot Anderson to be carded (+375), and Malik Tillman 1+ shots on target (+100).
How does Jonathan David fit into the weekend ATGS picture?
As Thursday's slate wraps, The Action Network's Stefano Fusaro published "World Cup Goal Scorer Picks Today: Best Bets for Saturday, July 4" — signalling the next wave of knockout-stage wagering. That timing aligns with the Round of 16, where co-host nations and fresh attacking matchups reshape the boards.
Jonathan David enters that conversation as Canada's focal striker in a tournament where anytime goalscorer markets have already rewarded bold picks beyond the chalk. Thursday's Fernandes angle showed how mid-tier odds can outperform superstar favourites when form and fixture context align.
Between CBS Sports' Thursday value plays, SportyTrader's Round-of-16 prop menu, and Action Network's Saturday goal-scorer guide, the 2026 World Cup betting window is widening — and names like Fernandes, Olise, and David sit at the centre of it.