Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo admitted France will be favourites
for their Euro 2016 final in Paris on Sunday, but he still thinks his
team will prevail.
After the heartbreak of Euro 2004 – when
Ronaldo and Portugal were defeated 1-0 in the final on home soil by
Greece – the Real Madrid man is driven not to let another, potentially
his last, opportunity to win silverware with his country slip.
“It would mean a lot. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of, to win with the national team,” Ronaldo told UEFA.com.
“I have won everything at club level and the individual level, this would be a great achievement to win something for the Portuguese team.
“I
believe that this is possible, as do my colleagues and the whole
country also believe. We must have positive thinking because I believe
that on Sunday will be the first time that Portugal will win a major
trophy.”
Portugal have been far from the best team at the
tournament, as they drew their three group games to qualify for the
knockout rounds as one of the best third-placed teams, before needing
extra time against Croatia in the round of 16 and then penalties in the
quarter-finals against Poland.
Only against Wales in the semi-final have Portugal looked convincing in their play.
Ronaldo,
too, has struggled to hit his best form but even his harshest critics
would admit he has delivered when his team needed him most.
A brace and an assist in a 3-3 draw with Hungary in their final group
game was crucial, he converted the first penalty of the shoot-out
against Poland in the quarter-finals and scored one and assisted the
other in the 2-0 win over Wales, a victory Ronaldo said will be crucial
for his team’s confidence.
“It was very positive. The team did
well, played well, scored two important goals against the good-feel team
of the tournament, Wales,” he said.
“They are an excellent team
with an excellent coach and they had a great tournament. Portugal did
well, we were better and created more opportunities. We were deserved
winners and we are in the final.
“We started in a soft way –
results in the early games were not what we wanted – but on balance the
benefit is positive because to get to a final which takes a lot of merit
and we have the players, coaches and the whole structure of the
team. We are all to be congratulated.”
As for the final, Ronaldo
said hosts France might be favourites, but as he learned the hard way in
Lisbon in 2004, the home ground advantage does not always guarantee a
win.
“France is a bit more the favourites than us, but I think Portugal will win,” he added.