How Portugal and France made it to the final
Friday, July 8, 2016
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Here we look back at how Portugal and France made it to the UEFA EURO 2016 final, taking in the thoughts of our designated team reporters along the way.
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Portugal
Group F: Portugal 1-1 Iceland
Joe Walker (@UEFAcomJoeW): I felt an air of deception and frustration about Portugal after this match. They offered so much yet lacked the killer touch.
Group F: Portugal 0-0 Austria
Joe Walker: Frustration again. A whole host of missed chances, a penalty off the upright and a disallowed effort. Not to worry, they will beat Hungary ...
Group F: Hungary 3-3 Portugal
Joe Walker: Where to start? Yet more frustration, but overall relief. An early exit beckoned three times and only the inside of a post kept them (and me!) in the tournament.
Round of 16: Croatia 0-1 Portugal (aet)
Joe Walker: I thought Croatia, on such a high after beating Spain, would oust Portugal. Fernando Santos pulled off a tactical masterstroke, though, and a late, late winner proved the decisive moment of Portugal's tournament so far.
Quarter-finals: Poland 1-1 Portugal (3-5 on pens)
Joe Walker: Relief. Not much of a spectacle after half-time, this game sparked into life in the shoot-out – it was impossible to know what to expect as each player (bar Ronaldo, admittedly) stepped up. A perfect set of five, it transpired.
Semi-finals: Portugal 2-0 Wales
Joe Walker: While the Welsh story was brilliant, I believed Portugal would have too much cunning – and so it proved. There was admittedly a touch of self-preservation as, let's face it, nobody wants to lose a semi!
France
Group A: France 2-1 Romania
David Crossan (@UEFAcomDavidC): First thought: Dimitri Payet is better than Zinédine Zidane! What a relief for Les Bleus.
Group A: France 2-0 Albania
David Crossan: A late flourish once again. This team keep believing until the final whistle.
Group A: Switzerland 0-0 France
David Crossan: I thought this fixture showed the depth of France's midfield options. Top of the group and job done.
Round of 16: France 2-1 Republic of Ireland
David Crossan: At half-time I was contemplating where to go on holiday. Didier Deschamps' tactical switch and Antoine Griezmann's genius changed all that.
Quarter-finals: France 5-2 Iceland
David Crossan: This was a night to enjoy watching France's vibrant attack at work and to wonder how far their potency might carry the hosts.
Semi-finals: Germany 0-2 France
David Crossan: Griezmann is 2016's Michel Platini or Zidane; Hugo Lloris deserves more credit than he gets. We're off to the final.