Euro 2016 final - The Magnificent Sevens: Cristiano Ronaldo v Antoine Griezmann

After tricky starts, they have become the two dominant personalities at Euro 2016, the two leading favourites to win the player of the tournament award. They share a home city but are split down tribal lines. One scored twice in a 2-0 win in the semi-finals and the other scored a goal and assisted another. They met in the Champions League final and, six weeks on, their duel could decide the Euro 2016 final too.

Football coverage almost always coalesces around star names but in the cases of Griezmann and Ronaldo it is entirely justified. It is no exaggeration that the outcome of Sunday’s match could even decide the destination of the Ballon d’Or this year.

European Championship record

Both players are bothering the once great Michel Platini in France. Ronaldo has drawn level with his all-time record of nine Euros goals and also became the first man to score in four separate finals. These are Griezmann’s first, but he has six strikes, meaning a sensational performance in the final could see him creep up to his legendary compatriot.

At Euro 2016, Griezmann’s goals are coming every 73 minutes and he has two assists. Ronaldo has one more assist but his three goals have come every 200 minutes. So Griezmann is bossing these finals but Ronaldo has been building a legacy since Euro 2004

Pepe returns to full Portugal training with Cristiano Ronaldo happy to welcome defender back into fold ahead of Euro 2016 final showdown against France

Pepe has returned to full training with the Portugal squad and is expected to start in the Euro 2016 final against host nation France on Sunday. 

The Real Madrid centre back missed Portugal's 2-0 semi-final win over Wales after suffering a thigh injury in the quarter-final win over Poland.

Pepe trained alone on Thursday and Friday, completing light drills under the supervision of a personal coach, but has now made sufficient progress to join up with the rest of his team-mates

CRISTIANO RONALDO: LIONEL MESSI’S COPA AMERICA TEARS ‘HURT ME'

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been rivals for the title of world’s greatest player for most of the past decade. That doesn’t mean they can’t feel empathy for each other, however.

Ahead of Portugal’s UEFA Euro 2016 semi-final against Wales on Wednesday,Ronaldo showed his softer side, suggesting he felt sorry for Messi following his international retirement.

Messi has taken a tough decision and people should understand,” Ronaldo toldMundo Deportivo.

“He is not accustomed to defeats and disappointments, not even finish the second. Missing a penalty does not make you a bad player.

“It hurts to see Messi in tears and I hope he returns to his country, because he needs it.”

Messi missed a crucial penalty in the Copa America Final shootout against Chile, and retired from Argentina duty in the aftermath, stating: “I’ve done all I can.” He failed to win a major international tournament with his country in an 11-year career that took in 113 caps and 55 goals.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, will lead his team out as captain at Stade des Lumieres in Lyon on Wednesday against the surprise team of the tournament in Wales.

The 31-year-old Real Madrid star has never won a major international tournament himself, coming closest in 2004 when he reached the final, only to lose to an unfancied Greece side.

Cristiano Ronaldo reveals what he said to Gareth Bale after dumping Wales out of Euro 2016

Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed what he said to Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Baleafter Portugal knocked Wales out of Euro 2016.

The Portuguese captain scored one and assisted the other as his side reached the final for the first time since 2004, when they lost to Greece.

Ronaldo was seen consoling Bale after the final whistle, and he also congratulated the Welshman on his side's remarkable run in the competition.

"I congratulated them on their run," Ronaldo said, having embraced Bale at the end.

"They had an amazing run. They were the shining star here, the revelation team.

"I wished them good luck and as for the rest I would rather not say."

The Welsh players stayed on the pitch after the final whistle to applaud their fans, and didn't make it back to the team hotel until 20 past midnight.

Man of the match Ronaldo's incredible header early in the second half was followed three minutes later by Nani turning home his shot, sending them into Sunday's Stade de France finale against world champions Germany or hosts France.

"This is different," the 31-year-old said, comparing this tournament to Euro 2004.

"I was 18, that was my first final. My debut. Now 12 years have gone by and now we are going to play another final. I am very proud of that.

Best photobomb ever? Ball boy sneaks into Portugal photo, hugs Cristiano Ronaldo

I

t appears the Portugal squad were good sports about it and the kid earned a hug from Ronaldo for his efforts.

Afterward, the boy joined the other ball kids and jumped in the air with a double fist pump of excitement. He probably got scolded for it afterward, but it was surely worth it.

Job well done, kid.

Cristiano Ronaldo hit three international records last night and still people deny him his dues

The Portugal captain produced one of the moments of the tournament - the goal of the tournament (sorry, Shaqiri) - and there was less of a reaction to that than there was to his gesticulations.

Hungary were let in again and Ronaldo was even angrier. The cameras panned to him. He was distraught at the thought that he could do what he just did at one end and his team mates would let a Hungarian undo it.

The laughs that followed amongst the press were widespread and deliberate. They were forcibly loud and genuinely joyous because they played into this lazy narrative that Cristiano Ronaldo is the bad guy and we're all supposed to hate him.

Honestly though, the laughs were just embarrassing.

Here was a man who will go down as one of the greatest players that ever lived and the people who are supposed to be reporting on every record that he breaks and every landscape that he changes were actively seeking his downfall. The people who are supposed to be capturing his timelessness weren't appreciating what he was doing right in front of them and they sure as hell weren't respecting it.

Ronaldo scored again and the media began to filter away from the television screens. That's not what they were looking to see.

Ronaldo has been painted as the villain and a hell of a lot of people were only too thrilled to go along with that.

Most of it is because he knows he's good. It's because he wants to win. It's even because he's vain and good-looking. Lionel Messi is portrayed as the pure saviour to the evil that is Ronaldo and no-one ever wants to even talk about Pep Guardiola's revelations in Guillem Balague's book that he almost lost Messi (who was throwing strops in training and partying with Ronaldinho) because the Argentine wanted to be treated differently - because he should be. Because he's the best.

Imagine Ronaldo retired from international football at the age of 29 and cited not winning as the problem. Honestly, imagine that.

Being convicted for tax fraud seemed to get brushed aside very quickly too and that's alright, because none of that takes away from the genius that is Lionel Messi. Nobody appreciates him any less as a special, special footballer. For some reason, they do Ronaldo though. They appreciate his skill less because they like him less.

Gareth Bale and Welsh togetherness contrast sharply with Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal as Euro 2016 semi-final looms

There are two images from Euro 2016 that sum up the differencebetween Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo. The first is Ronaldo posing for a selfie with a Portugal fan, who ran onto the pitch at Parc des Princes in Paris following the goalless draw against Austria in the group stages. 

Ronaldo gestured with a steward to stay back, struck a pose – and Uefa instigated disciplinary proceedings with Portugal receiving a fine.

The second came at the end of Wales’s historic 3-1 victory over Belgium on Friday evening which set up their semi-final against Portugal – with Bale coming up against Real Madrid team-mate – as the players formed a huddle that morphed into a heart to show their togetherness.