UEFA Euro 2016 Final: France-Portugal preview
After a summer of great football and over 50 games played in France for the first Euro at 24 teams, only two teams are left for the Final. France will play Portugal for a chance to win its third Euro in the history and the second on home soil after winning 1984,while Portugal is still chasing its first trophy in a major tournament losing the only Final at the Euro in 2004 on home soil to Greece.
We have seen great players the past 4 weeks and very solid teams in France. Wales reached the semifinals of the Euro 2016, Iceland beat England in the round of 16 and reach the quarters, Hungary and Northern Ireland making it to the second round; many great stories and fun atmosphere with fans from all across Europe. It came down to the hosts France and the underdogs Portugal this time as Bettingexpert picks the French to win it all. This is going to be a great match, the Final always brings the best. Coach Deschamps and Cristiano Ronaldo shares their views ahed of the Final.
Coach France Didier Deschamps
“We have this opportunity to become European champions. Whether you’re 18, 20 or much older, there’s a chance to win a title and we need to seize it without thinking about what might happen in the future. The players know they’re privileged to be playing the UEFA EURO 2016 final at home in Paris.
We haven’t had a chance to work on tactics since the semi-final. It’s all been about recovering from that match, but I’m confident my players will be ready for this huge game.
[My win as a player in 2000] belongs to the past. This is their story. I’m a part of it, of course, because I’m the coach. I use it to my advantage, the fact I’ve won major competitions as a player; that helps me, but I never talk about the past. What matters now is the present and the future.
Portugal have a lot of quality and it’s no accident they’re here. Like us, they were criticized at the start of the tournament. Like us, they are now in the final. They are an experienced team who can alter their system to deal with opponents. Their defensive triangle is solid. They don’t try to win the ball back high up the pitch, but try to break quickly with their two quick players up front”.
Forward Portugal Cristiano Ronaldo:
“The whole country is going to support them, but it’s a final and anything can happen. We’re going to be prepared and we’re going to be difficult to beat. Since the tournament started, nobody has beaten us, and I hope France aren’t going to beat us either.
It would be a huge achievement if I could win something with Portugal. My fingers are crossed because I believe, my colleagues believe, all of Portugal believes and the Portuguese community in France believe too.
It’s unique, a feeling of joy, because being in a final is something I wanted to achieve again. Now I will have the fortune, if everything goes well, to be playing on Sunday in a second final for Portugal.”It’s something that I always dreamed of”
Coach Portugal Fernando Santos:
“I’ve said before that our objective was to play in the final and win it. We have great belief because we want to make the Portuguese people happy. We want to give them something to celebrate”.
