Euro 2016’s top goalscorer, Griezmann took his tally to six goals after France on Thursday, defeated world champions Germany at a major tournament for the first time since 1958.
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Despite a good overall performance, the Manchester United midfielder was responsible for the opening goal as his handball resulted in France being awarded a penalty just before the break. “I was very composed, I didn’t think twice”, Griezmann said. “It wasn’t that easy after those two injuries”.
While France has a young squad that will surely have further opportunities to win championships, this Portugal team is full of older players who know this could be their last chance to win an global title. As the saying goes: “You don’t play a final, you win it”.
The players had felt the support of the French nation behind them, he said.
Germany’s tennis stars also took to Twitter to voice their opinions, including former world number one Boris Becker.
They dominated the first half, however, before an Antoine Griezmann penalty put the tournament hosts ahead on the stroke of halftime.
After 50 matches, 107 goals, 195 yellow cards, three reds, millions of upset fans and 53,768 renditions of “Will Grigg’s on fire”, there can only be one victor.
As the national team nears a third Henri Delaunay Cup success, having also lifted the trophy on home soil in 1984, the 45-year-old claimed this team has had to suffer more under the weight of expectation than his generation. “It was a long time since we’d beaten Germany but that didn’t mean anything today”, he told reporters after the match.
France now turn their attention to Portugal, and though he stopped short of proclaiming his side as favourites, Deschamps did acknowledge France enter the final with plenty of momentum.
“‘We played our best match tonight at the Euros but it didn’t help”.
“I don’t want to say anything about referees’ decisions”.
The stadium was targeted by suicide bombers during France’s friendly against Germany last November in attacks across Paris that left 130 people dead. “In a challenge, when you’re jumping, there are movements that you can’t really control”.
And Kroos reacted: “We delivered our best performance at Euro 2016 today so it’s unusual that we suffered a 2-0 defeat”.
After defensive errors allowed Griezmann to add a second in the 72nd minute, Germany surged forward in search of a way back into the game but it was not to be.
“‘Grizi’ did his job and we pushed them right to the end”, Giroud said.
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“We don’t have the power to solve people’s problems but we can generate emotions so they forget their worries”.
