Boasting a strong line-up including Paul Pogba, France are heavy favorites against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
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Santos will return with Portugal to the same stadium on Sunday to play France in the European Championship final after the hosts beat Germany in Thursday’s second semifinal.
Griezmann was even more impressive in France’s semi-final win over world champions Germany, scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory to give the host nation their first win over the Germans in a competitive match in 58 years. Now Portugal is in a reversed role against a more flamboyant French side.
“When we think about France we have to think about the team”.
However, they now have a glorious chance to follow in the footsteps of that Greek side by beating France in the final and spoling the home party.
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.
“But we still have that final step to take to finish this competition in the best possible fashion”. We mix youth with experience – this is the ideal mix.
And Fernando Santos, the team manager, who began his reign 21 months ago with a loss to France in the Stade de France, has seen his team win only once inside 90 minutes at Euro 2016 – against Wales in the semifinals.
Santos’ men laboured through a group they were favourites to dominate on paper, with three draws edging them into the last 16 as one of the four best third-place finishers.
“We started in a soft way – results in the early games were not what we wanted – but on balance the benefit is positive because to get to a final which takes a lot of merit and we have the players, coaches and the whole structure of the team”. The Atletico Madrid man had a great domestic season, firing in 32 goals in all competitions for los Rojiblancos and he’s taken that form into his global career too.
“I think the French players all have great quality”, he said.
“I said at the time of the draw that Portugal would possibly get to the final and win it, we were a candidate”, he said.
“I was with you, on air!”
“But it’s fate” I hear you cry. “The coach has given us this confidence, this spirit”.
“My only focus is on playing this final”, Mario said, avoiding discussing his club career at the Portugal training base south of Paris. Except they’re not. They didn’t win the World Cup in ’38 and they didn’t win the Euros of 1960 so they’re actually 2-2.
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“Thus far there has only been two contenders for your famous Ballon d’Or – him and [Lionel] Messi, but if Antoine Griezmann can be within the candidates, great, that would be a sign that things will go very well in the final and that there is great stuff still to come”. “We must have positive thinking because I believe that on Sunday will be the first time that Portugal will win a major trophy”.
