Paris-For Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal the Euro 2016 final on Sunday offers a golden opportunity to end a miserable record in meetings with France.
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The 31-year-old was stung by Greece’s smash-and-grab European Championships raid in the 2004 final when Portugal were hosts, and has little intention of losing a second major final.
Having been criticized for their performances thus far in the tournament, Portugal wont their first game in 90 minutes’ time in the semi-finals (a 2-0 win over Wales).
But he played a full part in training with his team-mates at Portugal’s Marcoussis base on Saturday and said that he was ready to take to the field against Didier Deschamps’s side.
Santos is also not bothered that Portugal have not beaten France in 41 years since a 1975 friendly, and lost the last 10 games, including major semi-finals at Euro 1984 and 2000, and the 2006 World Cup.
“But it’s one thing being a commentator – it’s entirely different to be on the pitch and lead the team”.
“Now they are in the final and playing at home, France are the favourites”. Their last defeat dates back to July 1960 in the inaugural European Championships against Czechoslovakia. But they will be hoping to make it a second host and win tournament – a feat they managed to achieve in 1984 and repeated in 1998 when they hosted the World Cup. I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves at club level because he plays for Atletico.
France have steadily improved as the tournament has gone on. But in these final moments when France’s kits are becoming rare, one French player has emerged a fan favourite.
Whereas some football pundits have said the quality of the Portugal-France final is not likely to rival the semi-final match between France and Germany, chances are it just might. French police and troops are gearing up for their biggest security challenge since the deadly November 13 attacks across Paris previous year, as hundreds of thousands of fans mass in the French capital for Sunday’s Euro 2016 European Soccer Championship final.
While Ronaldo has done enough for Portugal, Antoine Griezmann has been the star of Euro 2016 with six goals.
“I think this referee may be among the best two or three referees in the world”, Pepe said.
Ronaldo, by contrast, had to soak up a lot of criticism after lackluster showings by his high standards before playing a decisive role by scoring a goal and setting up another in a 2-0 semifinal win over Wales. Even if Portugal defends brilliantly most of the night, France could still get a goal.
“He’s had a great tournament but we won’t just be focusing on him”, Portugal midfielder Joao Mario said of Griezmann on Friday.
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France is hoping the “feel good factor” of a successful Euro 2016 will fire up a tentative economic recovery, although the direct impact will be short lived. What’s more, Portugal have actually looked pretty strong defensively in the knock-out stages, conceding only once in three games – which is all the more impressive when you consider that two of those games went to extra-time against Poland and Croatia.
