Portugal face uphill battle vs. France to claim first-ever title
If form and history were the only determining factors in deciding the outcome of the Euro 2016 final, Portugal wouldn't stand a chance. Their opponents, France, have a lot going for them -- primarily that they are very good and are the hosts of the tournament. Additionally, their 2010 World Cup fiasco aside, Les Bleus have a strong history at international tournaments, especially ones they host. France have the 1998 World Cup title and two Euro triumphs to their name.
Portugal, on the other hand, don't have much to hang their hats on -- they've never won a major international tournament. They didn't qualify for the World Cup until 1966 or the Euros until 1984. That's not to say Portugal's history is meritless, however. When afforded the opportunity they've come tantalizingly close to capturing glory quite often, actually. Plenty of other nations would love to have the resume that Portugal boast.
It's getting over that final hump has been the challenge for Portugal in years past. It took them a while to qualify for that first World Cup in '66, but the Portuguese made the most of their debut with a run to the semifinals. They ultimately fell to England, the hosts, before settling for victory in the third-place match. Their Euro 2004 campaign, which Portugal hosted, proved to be even more heartbreaking as they fell to Greece, 1-0, in the final.
The silver lining to that 2004 punch in the gut came in the breakout performance of 19-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo. All that the Real Madrid star has done since that tournament is put the national team on his back. Albeit with up-and-down tournament results as a team, Ronaldo, now 31, has unsurprisingly cemented himself into Portugal's record books with his individual efforts. The forward is Portugal's most-capped and top-scoring player of all time.
All that's missing from his overstuffed trophy case is a title at the international level (a bugaboo he coincidentally shares with his rival, Argentina and Barcelona ace Lionel Messi). Which brings us to the Euro 2016 final, the final stepping stone that looms again for Portugal and Ronaldo. With nearly every advantage to claim, France have already been penciled in as the side to dash the Iberian country's hopes. The game must actually be played for there to be an outcome, though ... and years of disappointment could all be forgotten if Portugal defy the odds and lift the trophy.
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