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Euro 2016 Final - France vs Portugal

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France's Didier Deschamps and Antoine Griezmann
France's Antoine Griezmann has scored six goals at Euro 2016 - twice as many as any other player

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    TEAM NEWS

    Portugal defender Pepe is expected to return for the final after missing the previous match with a thigh problem. 

    Coach Fernando Santos must decide whether to keep faith with midfielder Danilo or recall William Carvalho, who has completed a one-game ban.

    France coach Didier Deschamps is again expected to have all 23 players available. 

    His biggest selection dilemma is whether to recall midfielder N'Golo Kante or continue with Moussa Sissoko.

    MATCH PREVIEW

    An expectant host nation begins as favourites to lift the Henri Delaunay trophy against largely unfancied opponents, who have doggedly fought their way to the final despite little attacking fluency. 

    But European Championship finals do not always follow the script - as the Portugal players involved in their shock defeat by Greece in 2004 can testify. Twelve years on and it is the Portuguese cast in the role of unfashionable underdogs and their opponents France who must withstand the pressure and capitalise on home advantage.

    Portugal coach Fernando Santos freely concedes his side are the tournament's "ugly duckling", but he promised during the group stage that they would reach the final - and so it has proved. 

    p040s5g2.jpg
    Watch all six of Griezmann's Euro 2016 goals

    France, however, have been far more ruthless, with 13 of those efforts finding the net. One more would see them equal the record for the most goals at a single European Championship (set by the French in 1984).

    Crucial to their success has been the clinical form of Antoine Griezmann, now heavily odds-on to win the Golden Boot after taking his tournament tally to six with two goals against Germany. The 25-year-old - whose maternal grandfather was Portuguese - is already among esteemed company at the tournament.

    Griezmann's exploits are all the more remarkable given he was dropped from the starting XI following France's opening game. 

    That is just one of several difficult decisions made by coach Didier Deschamps which have paid handsome dividends - whether they are changes in formation, personnel or even the non-selection of Karim Benzema before the tournament. 

    Deschamps has said that France reaching the final of their home Euro 2016 is helping to bring back a feelgood factor in the country, where 130 people were killed in November in attacks across Paris.

    "We don't have the power to solve the French people's problems but we can ease their worries," Deschamps said. 

    "The players are well aware of that power, and what they can give to the French people by wearing these colours. When you see the passion, inside and outside the stadium, this team has everything it takes to be loved, the players are performing well on the pitch and I'm very proud."

    Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo

    MATCH FACTS

    Head-to-head

    • France have won their last 10 games against Portugal. Their overall record is W18, D1, L5.
    • Portugal last avoided defeat against the French in 1975, when they won a friendly 2-0 in Paris.
    • France's 10-game winning streak includes the three previous meetings at major tournaments, all of which came at the semi-final stage. Michel Platini hit a late winner as France won 3-2 in extra time at Euro 84, while Zinedine Zidane scored a golden goal (via a penalty) as the French won 2-1 at Euro 2000. And another Zidane spot-kick put France in the 2006 World Cup final with a 1-0 win. 
    • The sides have met twice in friendlies in the last two years. Les Bleus won 2-1 at the Stade de France in October 2014 with goals from Karim Benzema and Paul Pogba (Ricardo Quaresma replied with a penalty), while Mathieu Valbuena's free-kick gave France a 1-0 victory in Lisbon last September.

    Portugal

    • Portugal have played the most games in the history of the European Championship without ever winning the tournament (34, before this final). Should they beat France, that unwanted record will pass to England (31 matches).
    • They are the first team to reach the final of the European Championship after ending third in the group stage. It has happened twice before at World Cups but Argentina (in 1990) and Italy (in 1994) both ended as runners-up.
    • Portugal are unbeaten in their 13 competitive fixtures under Fernando Santos with eight of their nine wins by single-goal margins. 
    • Cristiano Ronaldo has also failed to score with any of his 43 direct free-kicks at major international tournaments.
    • All nine of his goals at the European Championship have been scored from inside the penalty area. Five of those have been headers.

    France

    • France have won three of their previous four finals at World Cups or Euros . They only time they ended as runners-up was at the 2006 World Cup - they drew 1-1 with Italy before losing on penalties.
    • They are unbeaten in their last 18 games at World Cups or Euros on home soil, winning 16 and drawing two. Their last defeat came at the inaugural European Championship in 1960 (they lost both their games - a semi-final against Yugoslavia and third-place play-off against Czechoslovakia).
    • Victory would see France join Germany and Spain as three-time European champions.
    • Of France's 13 goals at Euro 2016, 11 have been scored from the 42nd minute onwards.
    • The record for most goals by a team at the Euros is held by France (14 in five matches in 1984).
    • France are the last side to win the European Championship final after conceding the opening goal (they hit back from 1-0 down to beat Italy 2-1 in 2000).
    • Antoine Griezmann can become the third Frenchman to finish as the sole top scorer at major tournament, following Just Fontaine (1958 World Cup) and Michel Platini (Euro 84).
    • Didier Deschamps could become the second man to win the European Championship as a player and coach, after Germany's Berti Vogts - who was an unused substitute in 1972 and coach in 1996).
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    User
    User

    Fuck Terry

    Wavant
    Wavant

    Ronaldo already a better player manager than Rooney. 

    Mephisto
    Mephisto

    CR7 the manager>>>>>

    O Fenomeno Newbie

    O Fenomeno

    Posted
    Posted

    I have seen a lot of games 

     

    10 live games 

     

    This tournament is The GOAT in terms of

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Dustyiness 

     

     

    These Europeans are bad real bad up close.

     

    Refuse to attend the final rather start my new life 

     

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    that is a mess ? Will be so irratating playing with them fuckers

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    Posted

    Anyone gnna watch this ?

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    Carvalho in for Danilo

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    :rofl:

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    i5_PRODUCER Newbie

    i5_PRODUCER

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    Just now, Afgoon said:

    Sissoko is living life

    Always had the talent tbh. His final ball is wonky as fuck though

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    Young £ Newbie

    Young £

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    Fucking Robbie savage 

     

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    i5_PRODUCER Newbie

    i5_PRODUCER

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    Just now, Young £ said:

    Fucking Robbie savage 

     

    ITV dat

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    Admin. Rookie

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    Posted

    Them moths have ruined this game

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    Admin. Rookie

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    Posted

    Ronaldos left knee is fucked as it is, france players defo told to target it

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    Drift Newbie

    Drift

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    Bbc commo thinks ronaldo is overreacting? :/

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    i5_PRODUCER Newbie

    i5_PRODUCER

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    Sanches playing RM :/

     

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    Drift Newbie

    Drift

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    This tubby west ham c*nt has injured Cristiano. 

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    User Newbie

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    Payet ended Ronaldo

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    Drift Newbie

    Drift

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    Posted

    Fuck sake 

    :(

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    i5_PRODUCER Newbie

    i5_PRODUCER

    Posted
    Posted

    pmsl Them moths showing no sympathy for Ronaldo

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    Admin. Rookie

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    Payet needs to be booed at every ground next season 

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    User Newbie

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    Payet making sure he gots that starting spot at madrid next season

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    Drift Newbie

    Drift

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    No point watching this 

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    Admin. Rookie

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    Posted

    Whoever put the curse on ronaldo in 1998 made that shit strong enough to stay working on the new ronaldo in 2016

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    Supermalt Newbie

    Supermalt

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    Posted

    feel for the lad

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