Painful lesson of 2004 can be inspiration for Portugal
- by Grant Boone
- in Sports
- — Jul 14, 2016
"So who better to give us their opinions on how the match will go on Sunday than the Portuguese and French journalists from the euronews sports team Olà Bruno, Bonjour Vincent: Bruno who is going to win in the Stade de France?".
Cinzia, you spoke about the final of the Champions League he lost with Atlético, he found that hard to take.
"France are at home, they're in the final and they have a lot of potential".
The final at the Stade de France will be Portugal's 35th European Championship game, the most any team has played in the tournament without ever lifting the cup.
But he's still here, after raising his game and his team at key moments as Portugal steadily improved through the knockout rounds.
Bruno Sousa:"The biggest strength is Portugal's collective organisation and its not easy to say that with Cristiano Ronaldo in the team".
There was no rousing comeback from the Portuguese, who came closest through Luis Figo and Deco - with the former heading over after Fabian Barthez had pushed a Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick straight back into play. "But we can generate emotions so they forget their worries".
It will be fascinating to see if Cristiano Ronaldo has saved his best performance this summer for this final, having only shown fleeting glimpses of his prowess despite finding the net on three occasions.
"In the 4-2-3-1 formation, Griezmann is in a position that he often occupies in Atletico Madrid".
So while France are favourites, Portugal are happy to be overlooked.
Griezmann is the tournament's top scorer with six goals, while Ronaldo has notched three.
France have won their last 10 meetings with Portugal since 1975, including the 1984 and 2000 European Championship semi-finals and the 2006 World Cup semi-final.
"We have this opportunity to become European champions".
"I think sometimes you need new things".
France's captain calls Euro 2016 a "great human adventure", one where the fans have fallen definitively back in love with the team - something which appeared impossible only a few years ago. I am fully-fit and can be chosen to play tomorrow.
"Playing the Euros on home soil has been wonderful". 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. Just as they've done throughout this tournament.
"It's magical to play a final in your own country". Didier Deschamps has had to tinker to get his central defence right because of injury and suspensions. Their defensive triangle is solid.
France held on to win a forgettable match but this time they could not follow up victory over Portugal with success in the final as Italy would gain revenge from six years earlier, beating Les Bleus in a penalty shoot-out.
But everyone else can watch the game live for free on two United Kingdom terrestrial TV channels - BBC One and ITV.
Again France went on to win the continental crown while Portugal were left to rue the officials' decision to penalise Abel Xavier for a handball in the box as a shoot-out again loomed.
"I'd like that. That would be wonderful", said Portugal's Brazilian-born defender Pepe on Saturday.
Portugal haven't been spectacular in the tournament to date with their first 90 minute win coming in the semi-final win over Wales.