The first was a header that no other player in the world could have scored.
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French national television carried live images Saturday of the team arriving at the Paris hotel where they will spend the night. Hundreds of fans waited outside.
Germany dominated possession and spent most of the match in their opponents’ half but could not break through a resilient France defence. Football is not an exact science and it often comes down to the little things.
“But we still have one step to take”.
Two days ago, manager Chris Coleman’s team were knocked out of the Euro campaign by Portugal. You can not buy experience.
The clash was the fourth time Portugal had made it to the semi finals in their last five European championships.
The FAW expects to receive around £15million for reaching the last four of the Euros, and plan to invest in the grass roots to develop more players, create better facilities and increase the number of coaches. “We were reassured by President (Francois) Hollande before the tournament when he explained all the security measures that would be put in place”, said France forward Antoine Griezmann.
Defender Bacary Sagna said the 2010 revolt over a dispute between striker Nicolas Anelka and then-coach Raymond Domenech “was clearly a mistake” that had scarred the national side.
“This is the result of a group, and of a lot of hard work from the staff”, he said.
Santos knows exactly how to motivate Ronaldo and how to get through to him.
Deschamps was described by France captain Hugo Lloris as “the architect” of the current run of success.
“I think the French people really needed to escape via this competition and sport has this strength to bring people together, to unite people”.
“Now they are in the final and playing at home, France are the favourites”.
If France win, it will be their first major tournament triumph since Euro 2000.
Ronaldo and Carvalho, veterans of the Euro 2004 final loss to Greece on home soil, are well placed to calm any anxieties heading into Sunday’s final at the Stade de France.
Portugal played on Wednesday against Wales (2-0) while France faced Germany (2-0) on Thursday, meaning Les Bleus have had one less day’s rest that Cristiano Ronald and co.
“Since the tournament started nobody has beaten us, and I hope France aren’t going to beat us either”.
Portugal defeated Wales in the Euro 2016 semifinal.
It is a match Fernando Santos’ side approach boosted by Pepe’s return in defence, having overcome a thigh complaint that ruled him out of the semi-final victory against Wales.
He added: “We believe in ourselves, we have always believed”.
In finals, you need your big players to perform so Portugal will be looking at Ronaldo and France will be hoping for even more from their man of the moment, Antoine Griezmann. He was in charge at Sporting Lisbon for the first few weeks of the 2003-04 season, before Ronaldo left for Manchester United, and the mutual respect between the two has stuck ever since.
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Students at several schools in Cardiff were given the afternoon off to take part in the homecoming parade, including nine-year-old Regan Draper.
