Portugal’s team is hoping to win the game of their lives on Sunday’s Euro 2016 final against hosts France.
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Portugal will look to their captain and figurehead Cristiano Ronaldo for inspiration at the Stade de France, with Santos repeating his assertion that the Real Madrid superstar is “the best player in the world”.
Portugal lost to France in the Euros semi-final in 2000 and the knockout stage in 1984 Euros in France.
For those confident punters who are backing Cristiano Ronaldo to help lead his country to glory against France on Sunday night, Paddy Power are offering a tempting enhanced odds offer of 12/1 on Portugal to beat France.
After a halting start to the tournament, France has gained in confidence, routing Iceland 5-2 in the quarterfinals and then beating World Cup victor Germany 2-0 in the semifinals.
The outcome could depend heavily on the two men wearing the No.7 shirt – Portugal’s Ronaldo and France’s Griezmann, who faced each other in the Champions League final six weeks ago.
“We’re thrilled, we feel like kids”, Griezmann said. Griezmann has a lovely touch, a sublime left foot, and his six goals have lit up the tournament. Portugal have never won any. The Atletico Madrid forward has since starred, scoring twice to turn around the game against Ireland, getting one more in a 5-2 demolition of Ireland and then firing another brace in a 2-0 semifinal win over world champion Germany.
It was a great tactical decision, which paved Portugal’s way to the final.
Portugal will do well to ensure they don’t give any free kicks away from just outside their 18-yard area as West Ham sensation Dimitri Payet is noted for producing sublime goals from dead-ball situations.
“We believe in ourselves, we have always believed”, said midfielder Joao Mario.
“We’ve had two years of friendly matches (because France, as hosts, did not have to qualify)”.
Capello was also asked about England crashing out to Iceland in the Round of 16 and Italy to Germany on penalties for the quarter-finals.
When Ronaldo and Pepe played at the 2010 World Cup, Fonte was preparing for another season in the third tier of English football with Southampton.
“He’s a great player”, said France coach Didier Deschamps.
“They are, in my opinion, favourites because they are playing at home and that’s a big advantage”, Ronaldo told EURO2016.com. Dimitri already has two goals in the tournament and his meteoric rise in the previous year has been nothing short of impeccable.
“Now we are in the final again and we hope we will win it”.
Officials say the police will patrol the Stade de France stadium as well as the Fan Zone near the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees boulevard.
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Laurent Koscielny will have to ensure he is on top of his game both in general play and from set pieces, as Ronaldo perfectly illustrated just how good he is in the air with that headed goal against the Welsh.
