The two have already faced off in the final of this season’s UEFA Champions League, when Ronaldo struck the winning penalty in the shootout, this after the Frenchman had missed from the spot in normal time.
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The Atletico Madrid forward is on the brink of winning the golden boot at Euro 2016, with six goals to his name – three more than anyone else – ahead of his participation in Sunday’s final for France against Portugal in Paris.
“We’re thrilled, we feel like kids”, Griezmann said.
“It’s one thing to be favourites and another to win and I believe that Portugal will win”, said Portugal coach Fernando Santos.
Griezmann is the first player to score six goals at a Euro since Platini, who netted nine times when France triumphed as hosts of the 1984 tournament.
“It would be great to neutralise him, of course, but we need to be wary and limit his influence”.
Antoine Griezmann is a candidate to win this year’s Ballon d’Or, according to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
Griezmann, however, only needs to glimpse into Ronaldo’s early career to see how a host nation can be upstaged in a European Championship final. The 31-year-old Real Madrid superstar has made no secret of his desire to win a major worldwide tournament with Portugal and he has never, and may never again, come this close.
Although his side didn’t achieve the desired outcome on the day, Ancelotti believes the coaches of France and Portugal can learn a lesson from iconic former AC Milan coach Sacchi.
Portugal and Iceland were the last teams to kick off, on Tuesday, June 14 in Saint-Etienne, while France had been resting since opening the tournament on Friday, June 10 at the Stade de France against Romania.
“I’m used to playing against excellent players every weekend so no, I’m not afraid”, he said.
That could hinge on whether Pepe recovers from the thigh muscle injury that kept him out of the 2-0 victory over Wales. The central defender trained away from his teammates on Friday morning, only doing ball work with a member of the Portuguese staff.
Kante did not return for the semifinal as Deschamps stuck with Moussa Sissoko on the right hand side and Griezmann through the center of a 4-2-3-1 but, after Germany’s dominance of possession in the first half on Thursday, the France boss has something of a selection quandry.
Police and the army have been patrolling Paris since last November’s attacks in which 130 people died.
The stats favour France at Stade de France with five wins and a draw in major competitions. The sole victim at the stadium was a chauffeur, who was born in Portugal.
The country, though, is still scarred by last year’s atrocities.
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“We don’t have the power to solve people’s problems”, Deschamps said, reflecting on the national trauma.
