Portugal beat France 1-0 in extra time to claim Euro 2016 title

By:SAM TONKIN FOR MAILONLINE

But overall the game has been somewhat of an anti-climax, with neither team showing enough creative flair to break the deadlock in normal time in what has been a cagey affair.

France originally looked the more likely, ramping up the pressure with 20 minutes to go, but Portugal were always dangerous on the counter and hit the bar with Nani as the game ticked into the final stages of normal time.

Prior to kick-off there were a few ugly scenes as French riot police fired tear gas to disperse supporters trying to enter the fan zone in Paris. Clashes broke out at the foot of the Eiffel Tower as officers took a heavy-handed approach to prevent overcrowding.

After 50 matches and 107 goals watched by more than 2.3million spectators in 10 host cities, it all comes down to tonight’s game as both countries go head-to-head to lift the trophy.

Portugal and France both recorded 2-0 victories to reach the final two, against Wales and Germany respectively, and it is sure to be a mammoth clash in the French capital.

Earlier today supporters from both sides began mingling peacefully outside the stadium amid tight security in a city still on high terror alert. The match comes eight months after Islamic extremists killed 130 people and injured hundreds more in a series of coordinated attacks across Paris last November.

The night of bloodshed began when three suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the Stade de France, which is hosting tonight’s final, and with just hours to go before tonight’s kick-off the heightened security was clearly visible.

A long line of police vans was parked alongside the main road near a metro station and officers in body armour stood outside a high fence ringing the stadium.

Meanwhile, earlier today a bomb squad blew up a ‘suspicious bag’ found some 10 yards from the French team bus.

The bomb disposal unit were called to the hotel where the French football team were staying amid fears of a security threat.

Witnesses say a ‘suspicious bag’ was spotted outside the hotel, before the area was evacuated. Roads around the hotel were also cordoned off. 

TEAM LINE-UPS: THE STARTING 11s FOR BOTH FRANCE AND PORTUGAL IN TONIGHT’S EURO 2016 FINAL IN PARIS

Goal scorer: Antoine Griezmann

FRANCE:

1. Hugo Lloris

19. Bacary Sagna

22. Samuel Umtiti

21. Laurent Koscielny

3. Patrice Evra

15. Paul Pogba

14. Blaise Matuidi

18. Moussa Sissoko

7. Antoine Griezmann

8. Dimitri Payet

9. Olivier Giroud

Star player: Cristiano Ronaldo

PORTUGAL:

1. Rui Patricio

21. Cedric Soares

4. Jose Fonte

3. Pepe

5. Raphael Guerreiro

14. William Carvalho

10. Joao Mario

16. Renato Sanches

23. Adrien Silva

17. Nani

7. Cristiano Ronaldo

The floral-print backpack was seen on the pavement just yards from the French football team’s coach.

According to reports, there was a ‘loud bang’ outside the hotel at 5.38pm local time, which is likely to have been a controlled explosion.

Witnesses say a bomb squad officer walked up to the bag before laying a cable back to his van and blowing up the bag. Around an hour later, the road around the area was reopened.

Elsewhere, Mathias Vicherat, the Paris mayor’s chief of staff, said some 1,900 police and other security officers would patrol the 92,000-capacity fan zone in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.

The city’s police chief, Michel Cadot, said 3,400 officers would patrol the Champs-Elysees, where fans are expected to mass after the match.

Supporters from both sides have descended on Paris for tonight’s crunch tie.

Jean-Paul Ausu left the palm-fringed beaches of New Caledonia, a French territory in the South Pacific, and flew 13,670 miles to be in France for the tournament. He still wasn’t sure he’d make it into the game.

‘We tried to find tickets but haven’t been able to find any,’ Mr Ausu said. ‘We’re trying now to see what we can do at the (French Football) Federation’s sales point, but we’re still waiting.’

Portugal fans Mickael and Anna Polo-Carvalho, had a much shorter trip to get to the match – driving a few hundred miles from their home in Switzerland – and were planning to motor back again after the match.

‘We found tickets at the very last minute. We thought, let’s drop off the kids at their grandparents and we hit the road. It all went fine,’ Ms Polo-Carvalho said.

‘When we got here, we visited the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Elysees and we started preparing ourselves psychologically for this match. We’ll see who wins but we hope it’s Portugal. Tonight, it’s straight to the car and back at work tomorrow morning at nine.’

Long before the final, Laura Bounineau knew she would be a winner come the final whistle.

‘My dad is French, my mother Portuguese, so I’m supporting both nations and proud of it,’ she said. ‘There’s no problem: I will be happy tonight no matter what.’

In Lisbon, churchgoers have been praying for a Portugal win.

The county has not beaten France since 1975 and are seen as outsiders for the game, despite the presence of three-times world player of the year Ronaldo in attack.

‘We don’t need a miracle, let’s just trust our national team, we are very well represented, we have the best player in the world, for me he’s the best one, Cristiano Ronaldo,’ said Pedro Barroso, one of the faithful.

‘And I believe deeply, strongly that we’ll be champions, we’ll bring the cup to Portugal.’

Some 79 percent of Portuguese people say they are Catholic.

‘The victory has to be ours,’ said Miguel Santos, remembering how Portugal lost the final to Greece when they were hosts and favourites 12 years ago.

‘Twelve years later, after we let it go that time… This year is ours.’

Thousands of people were expected to watch the game at the fan zone in the Praca do Comercio although there was little sign of the excitement to come as a group of young boys kicked a ball around the empty square.

SOURCE:Read more Dailymail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3683443/France-Portugal-Euro-2016-final-Paris.html#ixzz4E5PF01yh