France to edge out Spain for World Cup glory, economists say

France will beat Spain to lift the World Cup trophy on July 19 and five-time winners Brazil are expected to be the biggest flops, according to a Reuters survey of economists who said football was still harder to call than inflation.

For 160 respondents from nearly every continent, this poll conducted once every four years is a welcome break from their macroeconomic forecasting in an era of wars, energy shocks and revived “transitory” versus persistent inflation debates....