Power tem vários motores

Portugal won!

And last Portugal Win Euro 2016 !

TEAM NEWS Portugal vs France

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.

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

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.

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."

1. Head-to-head

1. France have won their last 10 games against Portugal. Their overall record is W18, D1, L5.
2. Portugal last avoided defeat against the French in 1975, when they won a friendly 2-0 in Paris.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Portugal
6. 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).
7. 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.
8. Portugal are unbeaten in their 13 competitive fixtures under Fernando Santos with eight of their nine wins by single-goal margins.
9. Cristiano Ronaldo has also failed to score with any of his 43 direct free-kicks at major international tournaments.
10. All nine of his goals at the European Championship have been scored from inside the penalty area. Five of those have been headers.
11. France
12. 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.
13. 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).
14. Victory would see France join Germany and Spain as three-time European champions.
15. Of France's 13 goals at Euro 2016, 11 have been scored from the 42nd minute onwards.
16. The record for most goals by a team at the Euros is held by France (14 in five matches in 1984).
17. 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).
18. 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).
19. 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).

                                                                                                     ''BBC News''

Ronaldo in the air - 'football's Michael Jordan'

Ronaldo leapt to a height of 7ft 10in to head home Portugal's opener against Wales - James Chester, who was marking him, is 5ft 10 in

Ronaldo is now the joint highest scorer in European Championship history with nine goals, and holds the record for most headed goals with five.

Two of them have come in France, most notably when he soared to nod Portugal in front against Wales, but Ferdinand says that part of Ronaldo's game is nothing new.

"He has always been amazing on the ball but even when he first joined United in 2003 he was great in the air too," he said.

"Early in his career it was a part of his game that was quite undervalued but he always scored a lot of headers and, the way he does it, he is the closest thing in football to basketball legend Michael Jordan.

"The way he jumps and hangs in the air is the same as Jordan and he has got the ability to stay up there, assess the situation and then put the ball where he wants to, with power.

"I will always remember the header he scored for United away at Roma in the Champions League quarter-finals in April 2008.

From two different angles - Ronaldo soars to head home against Roma in 2008

"He more or less jumped on the edge of the box to meet a cross that Paul Scholes put over but he met the ball a good way inside the area. If you watch TV footage of that game, he just appears from nowhere and smashes it into the bottom corner.

"Just like his goal against Wales, it was an unbelievable jump and he generated incredible power. I was on the pitch that night, and it was amazing to see.

"Cristiano's heading ability will be a huge threat in the final too, along with Nani - another former United team-mate of mine.

"France have struggled to defend crosses for most of the tournament and, although they were better at it in the semi-final, Germany did not have anyone to aim at in the box."

                                                                                     ''BBC News''

Euro 2016: Ronaldo will relish taking on all of France - Rio Ferdinand

Portugal v France
Date: Sunday, 10 July Venue: Stade de France, Paris Kick-off: 20:00 BST

Cristiano Ronaldo will relish taking on the whole of France in Sunday's Euro 2016 final, according to his former Manchester United team-mate Rio Ferdinand.

The 31-year-old Portugal captain has the chance to win the first international title of his glittering career when his side take on the tournament hosts at Stade de France.

"Everyone in the country will be against him, but he will thrive off that hostility, and off their fear," Ferdinand told BBC Sport.

"The French know Cristiano is the player capable of destroying their dream because he has produced magic moments in huge matches right through his career.

"Part of the reason he is a superstar is because he is not fazed by the big occasion - quite the opposite in fact.

"Superstars like him relish these situations - the pressure that goes with it brings the best out of him, when other players falter."

'This is his last chance with Portugal'

Ronaldo helped Portugal reach the final when they hosted Euro 2004, but was left crying on the pitch after defeat by Greece, and they have not reached this stage of a major tournament since.

"He was only 19 then, so just a kid," added Ferdinand, who played alongside Ronaldo at Old Trafford between 2003 and 2009 and is working in France as a BBC pundit.

"I remember his reaction but I think he was a bit too young to take it all in. At that age, you expect you will get back to another final soon to rectify what happened but he has had to wait 12 years for his chance.

"I think he is very aware this is his last opportunity to win something with his country and, knowing him like I do, that makes him even more dangerous. He will be so desperate not to miss out again.

"Cristiano has produced great performances for Portugal when it matters before, for example his hat-trick against Sweden in the play-off for the 2014 World Cup.

"So France will know that it is not just in a Real Madrid or Manchester United shirt that he is capable of great things, especially because it was his moment of brilliance that helped decide Portugal's semi-final against Wales."

                                                                                                       ''BBC News''

Euro 2016 last position

European Championship Fixtures

Thursday 30th June 2016

	UEFA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP - QUARTER-FINAL
Show last 5 matches and coverage	Fixture	Kick-off	Status
	PolandvPortugal	20:00

Friday 1st July 2016

	UEFA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP - QUARTER-FINAL
Show last 5 matches and coverage	Fixture	Kick-off	Status
	WalesvBelgium	20:00

Saturday 2nd July 2016

	UEFA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP - QUARTER-FINAL
Show last 5 matches and coverage	Fixture	Kick-off	Status
	GermanyvItaly	20:00

Sunday 3rd July 2016

	UEFA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP - QUARTER-FINAL
Show last 5 matches and coverage	Fixture	Kick-off	Status
	FrancevIceland	20:00

Excellent speed

Lionel Messi: Argentina forward retires from international football

Lionel Messi has retired from international duty after missing in a penalty shootout as Argentina lost a fourth major final in nine years.

"For me, the national team is over." he said after defeat by Chile in the Copa America final. "I've done all I can. It hurts not to be a champion."

Messi, 29, has won eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues with Spanish side Barcelona.

But his only major international honour is Olympic gold at the 2008 Games.

As well as losing two Copa America finals on penalties to Chile, Messi was in the Argentina side beaten 1-0 by Germany in the 2014 World Cup final.

The forward, who was been awarded the Ballon d'Or five times, was also on the losing side against Brazil in the 2007 Copa America final.

"It's been four finals, I tried," added Messi, who made his debut for Argentina in 2005 and has played 113 times for his country.

"It was the thing I wanted the most, but I couldn't get it, so I think it's over.''

"I think this is best for everyone. First of all for me, then for everyone.

"I think there's a lot of people who want this, who obviously are not satisfied, as we are not satisfied reaching a final and not winning it.

"It's very hard, but the decision is taken. Now I will not try more and there will be no going back."

Messi had scored five times at this year's Copa America, including a superb free-kick in the semi-final win over hosts the USA.

That goal made him his country's record scorer with 55 goals, eclipsing the 54-goal mark of striker Gabriel Batistuta.

Euro 2016 Today Scores

Switzerland 1-1 Poland

(Poland win 5-4 on penalties)

Wales    1-0 Northern Ireland

Croatia 0-1 Portugal

Great success !!

I'm sure you've never seen such a goal ;)

Euro 2016 : Who is out?

Albania's players were rewarded with diplomatic passports after a 1-0 win over Romania gave them hope of progressing as one of the best third-placed teams, but missed out on goal difference.

Romania, denied a point against France in the tournament's opening match by a late Dimitri Payet strike, finished bottom of Group A.

Russia's players were widely criticised in the nation's media after finishing bottom of Group B with just one point, despite holding England to a draw with a late goal of their own. Manager Leonid Slutsky has offered his resignation.

Ukraine were the only side to fail to score and exit without a point, the 2-0 defeat by Northern Ireland ultimately proving enough for O'Neill's side to progress.

Sweden finished bottom of Group E after defeat by Belgium on Wednesday, prompting striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic's retirement.

Turkey's 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic gave them hope of making the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams, but they were denied by the Republic of Ireland's winner against Italy.

The Czechs finished bottom in Group D, while Austria scored just one goal in their three games to finish bottom of Group F.