DraftKings DFS World Cup Picks for Thursday, June 11: Mexico Headline a Two-Game Group A Slate

Raul Jimenez and a heavy Mexico lean headline a two-game DraftKings World Cup slate Thursday, with South Korea's Son Heung-Min the best way off the popular Mexico builds.

The World Cup is finally here, and DraftKings is easing us in with a two-game Classic slate to open Group A. Mexico host South Africa at altitude in Mexico City at 3:00 PM ET, then South Korea and Czechia close the night at 10:00 PM ET. Two games, eight roster spots, and a three-team minimum, so even if you want to pour everything into Mexico you're forced to branch out.

And you'll want plenty of Mexico. They opened around -230 at home with South Africa a +700 afterthought implied for well under a goal, which puts the home side's attackers, full-backs and clean sheet at the center of most builds. The good news is the value is everywhere on this slate, so funding a stud or two is easy.

WORLD CUP MATCHES (ET)

• 3:00 pm: Mexico vs. South Africa
• 10:00 pm: South Korea vs. Czech Republic

For detailed stats and odds, check out the

DraftKings Fantasy Soccer: World Cup Cheat Sheet

Hit up our Discord with more questions.

FORWARDS

Roberto Alvarado (MEX vs. RSA, $7,000)

Alvardo should be on a split of Mexico's corners and free kicks, depending on the starting XI. Importantly, he's one of the only forwards with set pieces and he's three grand cheaper than Raul Jimenez. Mexico are decent-sized favorites, and at altitude in Mexico City, a tired underdog tends to fade late, so the volume should pile up. The one worry is a World Cup opener lineup. If he gets shuffled across the front or yanked early with the game won, the price loses its shine.

Son Heung-Min (KOR vs. CZE, $9,400)

If you want a forward floor that rivals the Mexico names without paying Jimenez money, Son is it. He takes South Korea's penalties, he's on their set pieces, and assuming he goes close to 90 minutes, does a little bit of everything in attack for his team. South Korea against Czechia is a coin flip with a lower total, which caps the ceiling a touch, but a floor this sturdy plays fine in cash and gives you a way off the popular Mexico builds without flinching.

Raul Jimenez ($10,000) is the penalty taker and the highest ceiling on the slate with the best goalscorer odds. He can be used in both cash and GPPs since there's enough value to fill out a decent lineup. However, if he doesn't score, it's hard to see him being worth it.

Julian Quinones ($8,500) is a full GPP play and will be one of the Mexico players in play to be subbed around the 60-minute mark. Hwang Hee-Chan ($5,800) is the cheaper South Korea route, Patrik Schick ($8,000) takes Czechia's penalties and could be an intriguing pivot from Jimenez. Lyle Foster ($4,300) is South Africa's striker and could be worth a punt if you have multiple GPP lineups.

MIDFIELDERS

Brian Gutierrez (MEX vs. RSA, $5,400)

Gutierrez is on Mexico's set pieces and at this price, he makes sense given the lack of other reliable options. However, he's also one of Mexico's pieces who could be subbed off early. Still, at $5,400, it's hard not to play one of the main set-piece takers on a two-game slate for the biggest favorite.

Michal Sadilek (CZE at KOR, $3,100)

If he starts, Sadilek would take left-sided set pieces while Vladimir Coufal is on the right side. That's reason enough to consider him given the price. The problem is that this is the late game and if he doesn't start, your lineup could be in shambles, depending how it's built. If you have Sadilek in your squad, make sure you can pivot off him if needed.

Lee Kang-in ($7,600) is the higher-priced South Korea midfield creator with a possible double-digit floor if you'd rather spend up in that game. The downside is that if Son plays 90 minutes alongside him, Lee may not have any of the sets.

Alvaro Fidalgo ($5,000) is the next Mexico midfielder, mainly for tournaments. Oswin Appollis ($5,900) is South Africa's penalty and set-piece guy and the easiest click for the biggest underdog. 

DEFENDERS

Vladimir Coufal (CZE at KOR, $4,400)

Coufal is on Czechia's set pieces and he's a full-back going for $4,400. Even with the modest game total, that's hard to pass up. He's one of the leaders of the Czech team and there are few reasons not to play him.

Jorge Sanchez (MEX vs. RSA, $6,300)

Sanchez's floor rides Mexico's 65-to-70-percent clean-sheet odds rather than a coin-flip game, so you get the shutout equity plus whatever he adds pushing forward. He's not free at $6,300, but if you have money, many people will fall into both Sanchez and Jesus Gallardo ($5,400) given the matchup.

David Jurasek ($3,400) is the punt-priced Czech full-back. He could take a set or two and may not be a 90-minute lock, but he makes sense for the price.

Seol Young-Woo ($4,600) and Lee Tae-Seok ($3,700) give you South Korea defender floors as wing-backs in an even game. I'll be clicking either one of them for my second defender, depending how the rest of my roster fills out.

GOALKEEPER

Jose Rangel (MEX vs. RSA, $5,800)

The Mexico clean sheet is where the goalkeeper points live. Around 70 percent to win, an opponent implied for well under a goal, and the best shutout odds on the slate. Rangel is expected to start over Guillermo Ochoa ($5,700), though it's anyone's guess to who it is. No matter, if you have the money, you should be on the Mexico goalkeeper.

If you'd rather not guess, Kim Seung-gyu ($4,800) is the South Korea pay-down, and Matej Kovar ($4,500) is the move if you've already stacked the Czech set-piece guys and want the matching clean sheet, though their shutout odds are nowhere near Mexico's.