Griezmann, who plays for Atletico Madrid, has showed grit, courage and outstanding skills in the tournament.
Advertisement
The France team also experienced pre-competition problems, with striker Karim Benzema dropped over a blackmail plot involving team-mate Mathieu Valbuena, but they have managed to reach Sunday’s final against Portugal.
With one more game still to go at Stade de France on Sunday and the opportunity to score another goal or two, there is still more history to be made for Griezmann. He was widely ridiculed for accusing Iceland – population 330,000 – of having a “small mentality” after the 1-1 draw between the teams and then slammed a penalty against the post as Portugal drew 0-0 with Austria.
France reached the final after seeing off Republic of Ireland and Iceland in the first two games of the knockout stage, but Deschamps said every game so far has been hard. “I have no doubt we will win”.
“He’s (Griezmann) a great player and he proved that against Germany, he works very hard, along with Olivier Giroud from a defensive perspective he made us a very compact unit”, Deschamps was quoted as saying by goal.com.
“I’m really happy for everybody”.
The world champions were the dominant side in the first half in Marseille but fell a goal behind just before the break.
He is one of the most talented young players in his position in Europe and France’s loss has been Portugal’s gain.
“The French media are sure of the win (for France.) We have lost a final already but this time we can make it. Probability counts for nothing and all the Portuguese bet on us”.
“We were the better team”.
“What I say to the team is it’s good that we’re a family, but we have to do something”.
“I feel great. I’m fully fit and can be chosen to play tomorrow”, he told a press conference. It was a long time since we’d beaten Germany but that didn’t mean anything today. “As host nation, and because we’ve knocked out Germany, that doesn’t give us extra powers”.
The United midfielder was replaced by Leroy Sané in the 79th minute but Germany had chances to get back into the game, with Kimmich hitting the bar and having his header instinctively saved by Lloris in the final moments.
“We have our chances and so do Portugal”, he said.
World champion Germany dominated the match in terms of possession but its lack of a deadly finisher cost them and razor-sharp Griezmann, whose double took his tournament-leading tally to six, was the difference.
“When you see the passion and the fervour in the stands around the ground”.
Advertisement
“Before we came to the stadium we saw people going insane – they are going to be even crazier on Sunday”. Germany had enjoyed half a century of ending host nations’ involvement in their own tournament until their defeat at the Stade Velodrome. None of his three goals and two assists at Euro 2016 have come outside the Parc Olympique Lyonnais.
