And maybe it can be said that Portugal might be coming good at the right time, as their display in the semi-final win over Wales was their most convincing thus far.
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Security forces have already successfully protected a total of 11 matches at the Stade de France and Paris stadium the Parc des Princes, including the tournament’s opening match, but the final is expected to draw the biggest crowds as France aims to win its third European title by beating Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal. He believes Griezmann is “very young player who has had a great campaign”. Ronaldo has never tasted victory against France, but he is not alone as Portugal have lost the last 10 meetings between the countries, stretching back to 1975.
Current France coach Didier Deschamps was on the winning side in one of those matches, in the semifinals of Euro 2000, when France added European glory to its World Cup triumph on home soil two years earlier.
If Griezmann can keep up his scoring run and deliver silverware for his nation, the 25-year-old forward would not only collect his first major trophy but potentially become a challenger to Ronaldo for the Ballon D’Or. We didn’t win every fixture but we’ve tried to retain this mindset.
“But we still have that final step to take to finish this competition in the best possible fashion”. It’s all been about recovering from that match, but I’m confident my players will be ready for this huge game.
[My win as a player in 2000] belongs to the past. This is their story. I’m a part of it, of course, because I’m the coach. “All I do is think of how my players will play and I want them to play their best in order to win”. What matters now is the present and the future.
“Let them continue saying the same thing, that Portugal won without deserving it”, Santos, whose news conferences are littered with dry humour, told reporters on Saturday.
“They know that he’s up there – he’s one of the best in the world, if not the best”. “But we can generate emotions so they forget their worries”.
Dimitri Payet has continued the brilliant form he showed in the Premier League for his country, inspiring them when teams have been hard to break down. Their defensive triangle is solid. They failed to win a game in 90 minutes before defeating Wales 2-0 in the semi-finals. “But they bring quality and the natural irreverence of youth and this is very important. I hope that we’ll be smiling and that it will be tears of joy in the end”.
Whether it is the national team, domestic giants such as FC Porto and S.L. Benfica, or even a smaller club like S.C. Braga, the capital city’s Portuguese residents turn out in their droves to watch sides from their home country at club or global level.
“My fingers are crossed because I believe, my colleagues believe, all of Portugal believes and the Portuguese community in France believe too”.
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“I don’t need to praise Cristiano Ronaldo, everyone is familiar with him”, said the former Arsenal man, who has been an ever-present at Euro 2016.
