Portugal’s Pepe fit for final against France

Asked about whether he meant to stay on after the 2018 World Cup in Russian Federation, he said: “I’m still disappointed so I don’t want to think about that tonight”. The onus will be on France and they have to make the most of it. But in reality we know that this France side is not a possession-based side. When I go to a tournament, I want to win it and the bottom line is it was no success. All Portugal will hope to do in that crucial opening 20 minutes is just hang on for dear life, hoping that they can survive with their goal still intact.

Big, big news emerges overnight as it is revealed that the Football Association are in talks with United States boss and former Germany player and manager Jurgen Klinsmann.

“The players are obviously competitors, it is fabulous to play a European Championship and they’re doing so in France”. His six-pack is there for a reason, but he has the two things that are very tough to combat in football – pace and the aerial threat.

“He’s had a great tournament but we won’t just be focusing on him”, he said. “That will be important to do”.

When they returned home, the fallout was enormous and the players were loathed by the French public, who viewed them as irresponsible and selfish spoiled brats, and they were lambasted by politicians. France have enough pace, power and quality in their side that they have to be confident of overwhelming Portugal early on.

“We went through a crisis in French football”, Lloris acknowledged.

The Bayern Munich defender, 27, was suspended for the world champions’ 2-0 defeat to France in Marseille, which came after Antoine Griezmann netted in either half.

“France are at home, they’re in the final and they have a lot of potential”. The smallest nation to ever qualify for the championships became everyone’s favourite England-conquerors; they ought to have been well out of their depth this summer and yet they made it all the way to the quarter-finals.

Ronaldo could be forgiven for viewing pipping Messi to such an worldwide honour as the potential icing on Sunday’s seriously sweet cake.

Sagna’s immediate problem is Ronaldo, recovering from a sluggish start to the tournament and hungry for his first major title with Portugal. “I think Portugal will win”.

“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”.

Fernando Santos has been told his Portugal team have won without playing well at Euro 2016 – something he would happily accept in the final.

“In a final anything can happen”.

The Real Madrid striker admitted that hosts France were indeed the favourites going into the final, but said that finals are always unpredictable. We did not do a bad job defensively, you always concede a few chances – you can’t prevent that, but we were lacking someone who scored.