Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann are the two standout stars but both sides are tricky to break down and attack at pace.
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Whereas some football pundits have said the quality of the Portugal-France final is not likely to rival the semi-final match between France and Germany, chances are it just might.
“I would like people to keep saying that we won and we did’t deserve it”. He went on to credit them for “never giving up and that’s something clearly I’m very fond of”.
Portugal’s win over Wales was their first in the tournament in 90 minutes having beaten Croatia in the last 16 in extra time before knocking Poland out on penalties in the quarter-finals.
Portugal – Their first win in regulation this tournament was cemented by a pair of goals within minutes of each other as strikers Ronaldo and Nani put away the shorthanded Wales side.
Along the way, they’ve won one Euro title and a World Cup in 1998.
“We played Poland in 2012, (striker Robert) Lewandowski is a very good player, almost all their players play in the Bundesliga”.
“He’s a very important player in the French team”.
Portugal labored through the group stage as one of the four best third-place finishers with three draws, downed Croatia with a last-gasp extra-time victor and eliminated Poland on penalties before beating Wales 2-0 within 90 minutes in the semifinal.
Cristiano Ronaldo feels, though, that Portugal would be worthy recipients of the European Championship trophy in Paris on Sunday evening.
Portugal manager Fernando Santos claims that star player Cristiano Ronaldo could still have another decade left in him on the global stage.
Ricardo Carvalho, who with Ronaldo is one of two survivors from 2004, said: “Now the moment has come to remember and learn from the mistakes we made”. The Real Madrid forward scored twice in a 3-3 draw with Hungary in the final round of group fixtures, a result that was necessary to ensure qualification as one of the best third-place teams following three draws. Portugal did well, we were better and created more opportunities. But will it be France or Portugal?
“There is lots of fervour and lots of joy and happiness in France”, France coach Didier Deschamps said after the 2-0 win over Germany in Marseille. “It’s important not to focus on one player, but France as a team”. He said: “I think the French people really needed to escape via this competition and sport has this strength to bring people together, to unite people”.
By the same token, though, unless Portugal produce the kind of performance that every single game to date has suggested is beyond them, the Seleccao don’t deserve to win Euro 2016. He will be key in pressuring a French back-line that has not been consistently breached so far, as Portugal ultimately aim to be the first team to decisively destruct this solid resistance.
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Dimitri Payet has continued the brilliant form he showed in the Premier League for his country, inspiring them when teams have been hard to break down. “I think we will write a new chapter in history tomorrow in the final”, Santos said.
