Day -705. WorldCup2018
Tomorrow France will be looking to win the European Championship at home for the second time. Add to that the World Cup won in France in 1998 and it can be said that being a host country to a major tournament suits the French pretty well.
Their opponents tomorrow, Portugal, hosted the 2004 Euros with not so much luck. After starting with a surprise defeat to Greece they recovered to limp into the final where they lost to Greece again. Greece were the biggest surprise winners ever of the Euros. And Portugal were the host country beaten in their final by the team that was never taken seriously before. France are the overwhelming favourites to win this year, but maybe Portugal can play their own version of the spoiler.
As an aside, Greece's 2004 win made me think about Wales this year. Wales, the sentimental underdog, were universally praised for their gallant defeat against Portugal. Amongst all the oohing and aahing about their losing performance the fact that Portugal made it to the final could have been forgotten. Wales didn't beat a very ordinary Portugal team, bar Cristiano Ronaldo. Their win against Belgium was spectacular, but after that their loss to Portugal was limp. Greece, a team considered to be a complete outsider beat a better Portugal team, in Portugal, twice. They won the Euros. Wales had a good run but lost a match they had every reason to win. But the praise and adulation for Wales was huge.
My point? I enjoyed Wales' run but I'm not one to get sucked into the sentimental underdog stories, if they don't produce a winner (see Greece and Leicester). If Wales qualify for Russia 2018 then I'll be really impressed.
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