Duel of magnificent sevens: Ronaldo, Griezmann gunning for Euro glory

31-year-old has long been Portugal's talisman, while 25-year-old has emerged as most important cog in French...

PARIS: With France’s baby-faced poster boy Antoine Griezmann going up against preening Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, the Euro 2016 final will feature a duel between two very different number sevens.

Griezmann, 25, is the tournament’s top scorer and is bidding to deliver success for the home nation in his first major international final.

Ronaldo wept teenage tears after Portugal’s 1-0 loss to Greece in the Euro 2004 final and at 31, he knows he may not get a better chance of success with his country. “Euro 2004 was special – I was just 19 and it was my first tournament,” said Ronaldo after scoring a magnificent header in Portugal’s 2-0 semi-final win over Wales.

“Now we are in the final again and we hope we will win it. I hope that we’ll be smiling and that it will be tears of joy in the end.”

Griezmann has already had a tearful tournament exit, having cried on the pitch at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana after France lost to Germany in the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals.

He appeared close to tears again six weeks ago following Atletico Madrid’s Champions League final defeat by Real Madrid, in which he blasted a second-half penalty against the bar.

He atoned, partially, in the penalty shootout, but Ronaldo had the last laugh, tucking away the fifth and final spot-kick to secure his third European title.

It is Griezmann, however, who has captured imaginations at the Euro and he provided another exhibition of his talents with a brace in the 2-0 semi-final win over Germany.

“He’s a great player,” said France coach Didier Deschamps. “In this Euro, he’s been decisive for us. He can score and he can help others score.”

Paul Pogba went into the tournament as the heir apparent to Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane. But L’Equipe newspaper dubbed the team the “Griezmann Generation” following the defeat of Germany.

Griezmann is the first player to score six goals at a Euro since Platini, who netted nine times when France triumphed as hosts of the 1984 tournament.

Ronaldo’s goal against Wales saw him equal Platini’s record of nine goals at Euro finals, but whereas it took the Frenchman one tournament to set his mark, it has taken the Portugal captain four to equal it.

Like Griezmann, Ronaldo made a slow start to the tournament. He was widely ridiculed for accusing Iceland — population 330,000 — of having a “small mentality” after the 1-1 draw between the teams and then slammed a penalty against the post as Portugal drew 0-0 with Austria.

But he scored twice in the 3-3 draw with Hungary that secured Portugal’s last 16 place and after two games without a goal, he settled the semi-final against Wales with a goal and an assist for Nani.

Like Messi, he has never won a World Cup or continental tournament with his country.

Lead Portugal to a first major title, and a fourth Ballon d’Or – the prize he covets above almost all others – would swim tantalisingly into view.

Pepe ready to face France

Portugal received a boost yesterday when central defender Pepe trained with his teammates and appeared to be free of any injury problems.

The Brazilian-born defender missed the semi-final win over Wales on Wednesday because of a thigh injury and had trained separately on Friday.

But Pepe, 33, took a full part in yesterday’s exercises which were witnessed by reporters during the 15 minutes in which training was open to the media and he appeared to be ready to face hosts France.

Pepe, sent off against Germany in the 2014 World Cup, was outstanding in the centre of the Portugal defence in their first five games at the tournament.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2016.

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