Twelve years after being left in tears as a 19-year-old suffering a devastating loss to Greece on home soil in the final of Euro 2004, Cristiano Ronaldo will get another shot to win silverware with Portugal.
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More than 5,000 French police will be deployed at key venues in and around Paris ahead of the Euro 2016 football final between France and Portugal.
After his goalscoring display in the Euro 2016 semi-final win over Wales, Ronaldo is ready to spearhead Portugal’s first-ever triumph in a major tournament and Deschamps said: “If there is an anti-Ronaldo plan, no one has yet found the recipe”.
He appeared close to tears again six weeks ago following Atletico Madrid’s Champions League final defeat by Real Madrid, in which he blasted a second-half penalty against the bar.
Griezmann has already had a tearful tournament exit, having cried on the pitch at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana after France lost to Germany in the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals.
That’s not to say Portugal’s history is meritless, however. Whether they win or not is a different story.
Now at Euro 2016, Portugal have a chance to make up for their recent failures. “I think it’ll be really unforgettable”.
They will meet Les Bleus, who overcame Germany 2-0 a day later, at the Stade de France with both history and the odds stacked against them.
“There is some uncertainty, it’s not science, and you may not win, but you have to do everything it takes to win and that is the state of mind we’re in”.
13 – In games, the length of Portugal’s unbeaten streak in competitive matches under coach Fernando Santos.
“Since the beginning we said we could win the Euros”, he said.
The 33-year-old collected his second Champions League title with Real Madrid in May but believes the chance to claim Portugal’s first major worldwide honour outstrips anything he has experienced during a decorated career. He’s able to play in other positions if it’s for the good of the team.
France have twice beaten Portugal en route to Euro success, Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane netting extra-time winners in the semi-finals of the 1984 and 2000 tournaments.
Hosting a tournament is a once in a generation event for any country in the world and when Portugal threw the biggest football party in Europe in 2004, they had a side that fitted the occasion.
“But they never give up and that’s something clearly I’m very fond of”. He is very important for the Portuguese national team and is very important for football.
“Now I have to motivate the team, but my brain has to keep going because we have to find solutions”.
“Portugal will be facing an wonderful team”. I am fully fit and can be chosen to play tomorrow.
France are the bookmakers’ favourites for the final but few would argue that the best player taking to the turf will be Portugal forward Ronaldo.
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“When we think about France we have to think about the team”.
