Euro 2016: Odds favour France in championship clash with Portugal

PARIS— Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann will meet for another title showdown when Portugal faces France in the European Championship final on Sunday, just six weeks after they contested the Champions League final.

Ronaldo was on the winning side with Real Madrid at the continental showpiece in Milan, with the Portugal captain scoring the decisive spot kick in a penalty shootout against Griezmann’s Atletico Madrid.

This time, Ronaldo could be in for a disappointment.

Not only will France have the host nation crowd behind it at the Stade de France, but Griezmann has been on sparkling form with a tournamentleading six goals — double the tally of Ronaldo, who has toiled and grumbled his way through Portugal’s stodgy campaign.

“We’re thrilled, we feel like kids,” Griezmann said. “We know the whole country is behind us, so we’re giving everything for them.”

Both goals in France’s semifinal victory over World Cup holder Germany were scored by Griezmann, who managed to convert a penalty to ease the pain of missing one in the Champions League final in May.

“He’s had a great tournament, but we won’t just be focusing on him,” Portugal midfielder Joao Mario said Friday of Griezmann.

If Griezmann can keep up his scoring run and deliver silverware for his nation, the 25-year-old forward would not only collect his first major trophy but potentially become a challenger to Ronaldo for the Ballon D’Or.

Griezmann, however, only needs to glimpse into Ronaldo’s early career to see how a host nation can be upstaged in a European Championship final. Ronaldo has waited 12 years, since Portugal lost to Greece at Euro 2004, for another shot at national glory with every major club honour now gathered.

Ronaldo has only scored in two of Portugal’s six games in France, and yet he is only one goal away from scoring a 10th European Championship goal and breaking Michel Platini’s 32-year record.

But France’s pedigree in finals is far stronger than Portugal’s, particularly at home where the prize was collected at the 1984 European Championship and 1998 World Cup. The only time France has won silverware away from Paris was Euro 2000, while the sole final loss was on penalties to Italy at the 2006 World Cup.