France vs Portugal [Final]

Claudius

Potential line-ups
France: (4-2-3-1)Lloris, Sagna, Koscielny, Umtiti, Evra; Pogba, Matuidi; Sissoko, Griezmann, Payet; Giroud
Portugal: (4-1-3-2) Rui Patricio; Cedric, Bruno Alves, Fonte, Guerreiro; Danilo; Joao Mario, Renato Sanches, Adrien Silva; Nani, Ronaldo.

Arsenal interest
Koscielny should be in the team of the tournament. Giroud has done quite well in a big man-little man combo with Griezmann like Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill.

Betting odds
Portugal has lost last 10 games to France, last winning in 1975. Only Biggus and Qs were alive when Portugal last won

France to win in 90 min: 21/20
Portugal to win in 90 min: 11/5
France to win: 4/9
Portugal to win: 19/10

Mirth

Can Claud do all match threads from now on?

Biggus

Claudius!
Claudius!
Claudius!
Claudius!

Ave
Ave
Ave
Ave.

Jens

Claudius wrote:
Portugal has lost last 10 games to France, last winning in 1975. Only Biggus and Qs were alive when Portugal last won

Nevermind that game, Biggus was actually alive when Napoleon marched on Portugal in 1807.

Biggus

Well if you live long enough you'll see everything too.

Sicario

If Ronaldo has a stellar game and helps win Portugal Euro 2016 does he go above Messi simply based on Messi not being able to win his county international honours?

Mirth

No, but Nani would. :doh:

Claudius

Sicario wrote:
If Ronaldo has a stellar game and helps win Portugal Euro 2016 does he go above Messi simply based on Messi not being able to win his county international honours?

Champions league + Euros will be enough tin Balon d'Or.
Only question would be who else out of Messi, Racist Cannibal and Griezmann would be in the top 3 with him

Savz

Sicario wrote:
If Ronaldo has a stellar game and helps win Portugal Euro 2016 does he go above Messi simply based on Messi not being able to win his county international honours?

For the year? Yeah for basic fans.

Of all time? Not even close.

flobaba

For the year? Yeah. For anybody with reason.

QuincyAbeyie

Definitely will have a better year trophy-wise. Messi is playing much better, so depends on how you decide, I guess.

Klaus

Ronaldo has been nowhere near good enough for the ballon d'or this season.

Big Willie

Technically speaking, yes. But these things are weird and do not reward the best player that year or season, otherwise Thierry would have won it at least once. The people voting in these usually vote for a player on the team that wins the CL or one of the big summer international tournaments.

Sicario

I was not talking about the year but how they will be remembered historically.

I really think Messi's disappointments at international level will deny him being the GOAT.

A true GOAT would never cry and quit after his team were knocked out in a final on penalties. I lost a lot of respect for Messi after that.

Plus another thing Ronaldo has over Messi: proven in TWO different leagues.

Mirth

Yeah, but, Messi's a better footballer so he's got that going for him.

Big Willie

Yup, not sure if Messi will be remembered as the best ever (most seem to think he will but we'll see) but he is definitely ahead of Ronaldo and miles ahead of any other player this generation.

Rex

Looking back over last 7 or 8 years, I just have a really hard time to understand how anyone could come to the conclusion that Ronaldo is even close to being on par with Messi as a footballer, not to mention being better.

I also don't think Messi has played his last tournament for Argentina. I'd be surprised if he isn't back for the next World Cup. He isn't the first top player to quit his NT after a big disappointment and then coming back, and he won't be the last.

Mirth

Rex wrote:
I also don't think Messi has played his last tournament for Argentina. I'd be surprised if he isn't back for the next World Cup. He isn't the first top player to quit his NT after a big disappointment and then coming back, and he won't be the last.

He's not actually leaving the NT, it's a political move to protest against the corruption in the AFA. People seem to ignore that half the national team 'retired' with Messi which is a pretty clear sign that it's more than a temper tantrum.

Tevez has since come out and basically confirmed that the players aren't satisfied with the AFA: http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/tevez-stands-messi-afa-a-mess

Ricky1985

Messi shouldnt have said what he said about his reasons for retiring if that is indeed the case. Why dance around the subject like that? If you're not happy with the Football association then demand change and threaten retirement if it doesn't come. Use your power and influence in direct, honest way instead of trying to act 'politically' or clever.

Mirth

And use public opinion to impose your ideas? That's even more political.