12 Things To Know About Portugal vs. France
By Ty Duffy
France plays Portugal in the Euro 2016 Final. The match is Sunday July 10 at 3:00pm ET. It will be shown on ESPN. Here are 12 things you need to know entering the final.
Home Pitch Advantage: Tournament hosts tend to do well. Compound that when it is France. France won Euro 1984 at home. They won the 1998 World Cup at home. With the crowd behind them (and performing unfortunate Iceland clap recreations), the French are heavy favorites to lift the trophy at home again. France is 16-0-2 in its last 18 tournament matches on home soil. The last loss was in the four-team, inaugural “European Nations Cup” in 1960.
Disrupting Destiny: The Portuguese have been here before, on the opposite side. Portugal were flashy, favorite hosts at Euro 2004. They entered fresh off wins against the Netherlands and England. They faced a dour, underwhelming, defensive Greece team, that upset them 1-0 in Lisbon. An ugly Portugal win would be dispiriting, but feel oddly fitting.
Ronaldo’s Last Shot: Ronaldo is one of soccer’s all-time greats. He has been stuck with pedestrian international teammates. Ronaldo took Portugal to the semifinals at the 2006 World Cup and at Euro 2012. This is his first final appearance since he was a 19-year-old at Euro 2004. Ronaldo, like Lionel Messi, does not need an international trophy for validation. But, this is his last, best opportunity to win one.
Deciding the Ballon d’Or? Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the world’s best player award. The last time another player won was Kaka in 2007. Andres Iniesta (2010) is the only other player to finish second since 2008. Ronaldo would be a shoo-in for his fourth win with Champions League and Euro triumphs. But, could Antoine Griezmann, who also led his team to the Champions League final, creep in there if France comes out on top?
Disrupting the Equilibrium: Controlling play matters. But, a brilliant split second from a great player can alter a match. Teams that win tournaments don’t always play well. But, they have a difference maker that can carry them. Portugal has Cristiano Ronaldo. But, France has multiple players who can step forward. Dimitri Payet bailed out France against Romania. Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann sealed off a nervy win against Germany.
History Favors The French: The French have won their last 10 matches against Portugal (Portugal’s last win was in 1975) and 15/18 matches since World War II. That stretch includes some narrow, historic tournament eliminations. France came from behind in extra time to beat Portugal in the Euro 1984 semifinal. France beat Portugal on an extra time penalty in the Euro 2000 semifinal. France edged Portugal 1-0 on a penalty in the 2006 World Cup semifinal. How different things could have gone for the Portuguese if not for the pesky French…
Probably Sticking With the 4-2-3-1: France began the tournament in a 4-3-3. But, expect them to stick with the 4-2-3-1 they fielded against Iceland and Germany. Griezmann has been in been in stupendous form since being played in a central role off Olivier Giroud as a lead striker. The formation has weaknesses. The French are a bit lighter in central midfield without N’Golo Kanté. Giroud’s pace can be a detriment while counter-attacking. Germany was far better placed to exploit those weaknesses than Portugal, and did not do so.
Will Pepe Be Fit? Portugal’s central defender Pepe is the major injury question. He missed the semifinal with a thigh injury. He is still not training with his Portugal teammates. He’s an unpopular heel. He cost Portugal dearly in 2014. But, he was having a strong tournament through the quarterfinals. He has ample big match experience. Losing him would be a blow. Replacing him with aging Bruno Alves against France’s front line is a scary prospect.
Boring, Boring Finals: Spain took out Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 Final. That was the lone exception in what has been a pattern of tight, cagey international tournament finals. The last three World Cup finals have produced one open play goal combined in the regulation 90 minutes. The previous two Euro finals before 2012 were 1-0s. The last two Copa America finals went to penalties after a 0-0 draw. Oddsmakers set the over/under for total regulation goals at 2.5. We may get some entertainment.
The Dreaded Thursday-Sunday Transition: France played Thursday. That gives them one less day to recover than Portugal, who played Wednesday. Playing Thursday, then again on a weekend can be rough. It is when upsets happen. It is why many EPL teams will field weakened teams to get out of playing on Thursdays in the Europa League. That said, the swift trip from Marseilles to Paris is less grueling than a flight back to England from Eastern Europe.
Mark Clattenburg: Well, some Englishmen made it to a tournament final. UEFA, with Wales’ elimination, opted for an English crew led by Mark Clattenburg. Having already reffed this year’s FA Cup and UEFA Champions League finals, 2016 has been the year of Clattenburg. His Premier League efforts have not gone without criticism. But, he has a solid reputation. He’s not card happy. For a tournament final, that’s all one can cask.
No Suspensions: The accumulated yellow cards rule still needs work. Suspending players for the semifinal after two yellow cards over five matches is egregious. But, wiping the cards after the quarterfinal accomplished its mission. There were no red cards in the semifinal matches. No players, Karim Benzema excepted, are suspended for the Euro 2016 Final.