Summer of Soccer best bets for Sat. 7/6: A South American clasico

It's time to turn our attention toward July 6 ... because Saturday just might be the biggest day of the summer so far.

England vs. Switzerland, 12 p.m. ET. The Three Lions return for what should be the biggest test of their mettle thus far: a nail-biting quarterfinal against Switzerland. England has a stellar head-to-head record against the Swiss (19 wins, 3 losses, 5 draws) but Switzerland enters this one high on its underdog supply and ready for battle. Is football coming home? Or is it going home, as it has around this stage in all too many tournaments?

Netherlands vs. Turkey, 3 p.m. ET. Unstoppable orange force, meet immovable red object. The Dutch and the Turks have surprised many by hanging on in the Euros for as long as they have but only one will seal a spot in the semifinals. This one has shades of a backyard brawl: Turkish people make up the largest ethnic minority in the Netherlands, so the whole nation should be tuned in with bated breath.

Colombia vs. Panama, 6 p.m. ET. This is one of the wilder stylistic matchups you'll see in international soccer. Colombia is known for its delicacy and flair; Panama is known for ... well ... the opposite of that. Both approaches are valid and successful, though, and it will be fascinating to see which one pays off when these two meet in Arizona.

Uruguay vs. Brazil, 9 p.m. ET. This is the big one: the Clasico del Rio Negro. These two South American powerhouses have been battling each other on the field for nearly a century. Brazil has the upper hand in head-to-head play, but Uruguay has the ultimate prize: the 1950 World Cup title, won against Brazil on Brazilian soil in a game known as the Maracanazo.

"Only three people have silenced the Maracana," Uruguay goalscorer Alcides Ghiggia famously proclaimed. "Frank Sinatra, the pope, and me." With Uruguay looking like the strongest team at this Copa and Brazil looking weaker than it has in years, there's a chance la celeste can magic up another Brazilian silencing at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Where are the best bets, though? We think they're here:

England's shaky trophy hunt. England is certainly a favorite at Euro 2024, but its wobbly start to the tournament has caused the odds of its success to shrink. It's available as a regular-time victor at +120 if you think it's got the grit to get past the Swiss. But we're interested in a slightly different bet: a regular time draw at +190 and an England win in extra time at +900. We don't know that England will push past Switzerland in the regular 90, but we've seen it save itself from PKs once already in this tournament and expect it to do the same here.

Cody Gakpo's blistering form. The Dutch haven't exactly set the world on fire at these Euros, but Cody Gakpo certainly has. He's spent the first four games of the tournament looking like the only Oranje player who is both capable of and interested in scoring, and the stats back that up. We think he's a steal as an anytime goalscorer at +175.

Uruguay's clasico magic. We trust Uruguay to bring the drama in most situations, but we especially trust it to bring the drama against Brazil. We're backing a Uruguay win here at +180 ... but cautious bettors might also want to consider a double-chance bet for a Uruguay win or a draw at -275.