Euro 2016 Final: Portugal vs. France Championship Schedule, Odds, Predictions
Portugal meet France in the UEFA Euro 2016 final in Paris on Sunday as Cristiano Ronaldo hopes to add international honours to his list of football achievements.
The Stade de France will be packed to the rafters as Didier Deschamps' team attempt a last push for final glory on home soil.
Portugal have scraped the barrel on their way through the group stage and knockouts, hardly appearing as a championship-winning side, despite Ronaldo's presence.
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However, the Real Madrid icon will believe he can have the last laugh as France's weak defence offer their opponents chances to score.
Here are the details of the match and latest odds: (via OddsShark.com):
| Portugal win | 4-1 |
| Draw | 21-10 |
| France win | 10-11 |
Ronaldo To Produce One Special Performance
If anyone had tipped Portugal to make the Euro 2016 final ahead of such luminaries as Germany, Italy and England, it would have been in the belief Ronaldo had set the tournament on fire with his verve and class.
The truth is the masterful one has not, with the galactico looking sluggish and tired through proceedings.
The usual script was followed against Wales in the semi-final as CR7 rose above the defence to convert a classic header, but his overall contribution has decreased against expectancy.
Instead, Nani and Renato Sanches have partially stolen the limelight with a clutch of good—if not great—displays.
France have produced a steady approach to their home tournament, not reliant on the young talents of Anthony Martial, with faith placed in the effervescent Antoine Griezmann—who has six goals in the competition, according to WhoScored.com.
He is the top scorer in the tournament and is taking the final step towards world class in his development after another great season for Atletico Madrid.
The diminutive star—just 5'7" tall—who has played his entire professional career in Spain, is good value at 9-2 to be the first goalscorer on Sunday, according to Oddschecker.com, and if he continues his electric form, this is a solid bet for punters.
However, the last goalscorer market is an interesting one, and if you believe Ronaldo will have yet another magic night and claim the winner, you can grab odds of 11-2, per Oddschecker.
The Euro 2016 official Twitter feed shared the latest running for the competition's golden boot:
If the race runs to the form book, the match will end as a simple win for France, but the European Championships often throw up unexpected winners, as previously seen with the triumphs of Denmark and Greece.
The Greeks beat the Portuguese when Ronaldo's country hosted the competition in 2004—giving the Selecao das Quinas the perfect opportunity to flip history on its head.
France's performances suggest they have a weak centre, especially if Paul Pogba is caught on his ambitious travels further up the pitch. N'Golo Kante's presence might nullify the wider threat, but if Les Bleus give Ronaldo a yard, he will certainly take advantage.
Sunday is the perfect opportunity for Portugal and their superstar player to win their first international competition as the weight of expectation crushes the French.
Ronaldo will want to succeed where Lionel Messi has failed with Argentina and lift one of world football's biggest prizes above his head at the Stade de France in front of a heartbroken Parisian crowd.
Prediction: Portugal 2-1 France
