By Murat Keles and Emre Dogan
ISTANBUL
France and Portugal will go to battle on the football pitch in the Euro 2016 final at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, Sunday night.
The game will kick-off at 9 p.m. local time in France (1900 GMT). English referee Mark Clattenburg will officiate the final.
Host nation France has so far won two out of three matches in Group A and drew only once.
France first eliminated Republic of Ireland in the last 16 then they knocked out Iceland from the tournament in the quarter-finals and lastly eliminated European football giants Germany in the semi-final.
Meanwhile, Portugal were among the four best-third placed teams in the groups, which drew in all of their three matches in Group F.
They eliminated Croatia in round 16, then they knocked Poland out in the quarter final phase and lastly they eliminated Wales in the semis.
Portugal missing victory
Portugal has been unable to win any match out of their last 10 games against France.
The teams have played 24 matches, including friendlies.
France has 18 wins in total; meanwhile, Portugal has managed to win five times. Both teams drew once.
France scored 49 goals against Portugal while Portugal put the ball in the French net 28 times.
Portugal last beat France in 1975.
France was victorious against Portugal in the Euro 2000 and 2006 FIFA World Cup semis.
France in luck at home
Having played two finals in the tournament so far, host nation France are set to play their third final in European football championship history.
Winners of Euro 1984 and 2000, France are the only team who managed to be in the final twice at home after Euro 1984.
In addition, the 1998 FIFA World Cup hosts France lifted the world cup for the first time in their history.
Portugal will play their second final in Euro history.
Euro 2004 hosts Portugal lost against underdogs Greece in the final at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.
French players dominate scorers list
There are now three French players in the top four ranking of the Euro 2016 top scorers list.
Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann tops the list with six goals; Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud and West Ham United midfielder Dimitri Payet have scored three goals each.
Portugal powerhouse and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo and former Fenerbahce winger Nani - recently transferred to Valencia – have scored three goals each.
France, Portugal remain unbeaten
Both France and Portugal are yet to lose any match in Euro 2016.
France had five wins in six matches in Euro 2016, they drew only once. "Les Bleus" (The Blues) scored 13 goals; however, they conceded four.
Meanwhile, their opponents Portugal earned two wins in six matches and drew four times.
Portugal scored eight goals in regular and extra times of their matches in the tournament. "Selecao" conceded five goals in Euro 2016.
Final of the stars
Football fans will witness the duel of Portugal star Ronaldo and France forward Griezmann in the Euro 2016 final.
Atletico Madrid forward Griezmann, who has been capped for France 33 times, will play in his first Euro championship Sunday.
Meanwhile, Portuguese international Ronaldo - capped for his country 132 times - plays in his fourth Euro tournament.
Before Euro 2016, he played in Euro 2004, 2008 and 2012.
Griezmann scored 13 goals in 33 international matches for France while Portugal's Ronaldo tallied 61 goals in 132 international matches.
The Atletico forward is set to play his first Euro final; however, Ronaldo prepares to play his second final after Euro 2004.
In Euro 2016, Griezmann scored six goals and Ronaldo scored three.
