It has been said that soccer matches are as unpredictable as blind dates. And that was never truer that in the last game for the 2016 European Championship between France and Portugal. By almost all criteria—quality as a team, recent victory over Germany, game being played in France and seasoned players—France should have been victorious. But Fate, as coquettish as an adolescent in love, proved otherwise and Portugal became the winner.
There was a nice side to a probable French victory, since almost half of whose players are of African origin. As John Carlin, writing for the Spanish newspaper El País, has stated: Some French players are Muslim, with names like Mandanda, Rami, Umtiti, Matuidi, N'Golo, Sissoko and Pogba. Even Griezmann, France’s The Little Prince, come from an immigrant family.
Eder (L) and Joao Mario of Portugal celebrate winning after the UEFA EURO 2016 Final. Dan Mullan/Getty Images
