How to watch the UEFA EURO 2016 final like a native
Saturday, July 9, 2016
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Watching the UEFA EURO 2016 final can be even more fun if you make yourself feel Portuguese or French to mark the occasion; learn how with EURO2016.com.
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Portugal take on France in the final of UEFA EURO 2016, which means fans of the 53 other UEFA nations – or indeed the 205 other FIFA members – will have no dog in the fight on Sunday. Where's the fun in that?
EURO2016.com's team correspondents Joe Walker (Portugal) and David Crossan (France) explain how you can get into the spirit of the occasion, and right behind your country of choice, by taking up an honorary football supporters' passport for the duration of 10 July.
Be Portuguese for final day with Joe Walker
Key phrases
Goal: golo
Penalty: penalty
Save: defesa
Offside: fora-de-jogo
Referee: árbitro
Half-time: intervalo
Extra time: prolongamento
Half-time snack
Pedro Marques from EURO2016.com's Lisbon newsdesk says: "The most popular and traditional foods are bifanas (a grilled steak sandwich, with well-seasoned meat and, if you like, some mustard or spicy dressing), entremeadas (a sandwich with two or three pieces of some sort of grilled bacon – it's optional to have mayonnaise and/or mustard with that) and couratos (a grilled pork sandwich)."
How to act Portuguese
1) Get the family over. Family is very important to the Portuguese and the more the merrier. Stick on some fado music and be sure to invite parents, siblings, grandparents and cousins (no matter how far removed). Crack open some green and red face paint and go nuts, but be careful: the Portuguese flag is not a 50-50 divide, it is more 65% red, 35% green.
2) Fire up the barbie. Pop some sardines on and let them grill until they are nice and crisp. Serve with vinho verde or a cold beer and you have the perfect Portuguese snack. If that does not tickle your fancy, how about marinating some pork and making bifana sandwiches? Piri-piri chicken would do too. Failing that, a bag of tremoço (lupin seeds) or, for the sweeter tooth, the delightful pastéis de nata.
3) Be prepared for heartache. The sad tones of fado are sounding in the background, everyone is dejected, tears are streaming and we have been here before. Portugal have so often been the bridesmaid at these tournaments that many feel they will be again. The fans may not want to admit they are getting used to it, but they probably are. That face paint had better be waterproof!
Go French for the final with David Crossan
Key phrases
Goal: but
Penalty: penalty
Save: parade
Offside: hors-jeu
Referee: arbitre
Half-time: mi-temps
Extra time: prolongation
Half-time snack
Plenty of regional variations, but the galette-saucisse (sausage sandwich) of the Breton clubs is regarded as the quintessential football food and is a Stade Rennais speciality. EURO2016.com's Emma Hingant says: "This fried pork sausage inside a thin buckwheat pancake can be eaten cold or warm, but ideally with your hands. Add to it the perfect local drink of apple cider and you've got the recipe for success."
How to act French
1) Learn La Marseillaise. Let's face it, it's the best national anthem out there, albeit a little bit bloodthirsty. Altogether now: "Aux armes les citoyens." Don't forget that after the last line of "abreuve nos sillons" it is vital to add a little "bom bom bom" in time with the music.
2) Have a VERY long Sunday lunch with the family. Food is important to the French, as is what you wash it down with, and even more so on a Sunday when they tend to get together with their nearest and dearest for a multi-course feast. Time this right and you will be able to segue seamlessly from lunch into apéritif before the pre-match meal.
3) Behave with a certain je ne sais quoi. Gesticulate. A lot. Be emotional when you argue. Maybe form a Versaillais electro duo and talk about the French Touch. Or reminisce about where you were when France won major tournaments in 1984, 1998 and 2000.