Latvia vs France Prediction: The nominal hosts have a more stable and balanced squad

Prediction for the World Championship 2024 match between Latvia and France which will take place on May 12. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the team conditions! Several betting options are available.

The Latvian national team is one of the most stable teams in world hockey, which for a long time came to the World Championship, played seven games, and then began to prepare for the next planetary championship. They had no problems keeping their place in the strongest division, but they were not able to compete for the playoffs. The exception was at the World Cup-2023, when they not only got out of the group, but also won bronze medals, which were the first for them in the history of the national team. There is no doubt that they will also try to make the playoffs at the 2024 World Cup, but this task will be incredibly difficult.

The French national team left the elite world division at the end of the 2019 World Cup in Slovakia when they finished in last place in the group. They had not played at World Cups for two consecutive seasons as the second strongest division did not host tournaments due to a coronavirus, but at the 2022 World Cup they were back in the elite as they replaced the suspended Russian team. Since then, the French have finished two consecutive World Cups in 12th place, and have therefore remained in the group of the strongest. At the 2024 World Cup they have a banal and obvious task - to avoid relegation again, for which they will probably only need to beat Poland, and this meeting will take place on 14 May.

The Latvian national team is the bronze medallist of the last World Championship, which in itself speaks about the level of skill and ambition of the players. It will be problematic to repeat this success at the 2024 World Cup, but they must cope with France. The Latvians have won three of the last four official head-to-head meetings, after which the rivals have played a number of friendlies, but even in them, the last three consecutive friendlies have been won by the home team. The nominal hosts have a more stable and balanced squad, while the guests have Stefan Da Costa and Pierre Bellemare, with the rest of the squad severely underclassed.