Portugal, France Square Off for Euro 2016 Championship
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Is it going to be France or is it Portugal? The two go head-to-head in tonight's Euro 2016 football final. Just under three hours to kickoff here in Paris, and the atmosphere is abuzz. Also this hour, Dallas still trying to make sense of the police shooting that gripped the nation. We'll have more on the investigation. Plus...</s>MAZ JOBRANI, ACTOR: If we tried to have a Middle Eastern James Bond, people would go crazy.</s>ANDERSON: Diversity in Hollywood. I speak to Maz Jobrani about whitewashing in movies after rumors of Leonardo DiCaprio's new role has sparked controversy. Hello. I'm Becky Anderson. Welcome to a special edition of Connect the World live from Paris. A noisy city at the best of times, but even more so today. Just hours away from the Euro 2016 final match where Portugal will take on France. I'm going to be in the French capital with you all week with news and analysis on the stories that matter most here and around the world. And let's begin with the talk of the town here this hour. In just a few hours, France takes to the pitch against Portugal for the final of the Euro 2016 football championship. France ready to battle for a win on home soil with a parade already on the horizon. But victory no sure thing when you are taking on Portugal -- their star player, Cristiano Ronaldo, hungry for his first major title. All right, let's kick it off, Amanda Davies joins us from the Stade de France, soaking up the atmosphere if you will ahead of the final in what is set to be the final showdown of the tournament, not least for two of the world's most exciting players, Amanda.</s>AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yeah, absolutely, Becky. You've come to us just as the sound checks have started cranking up at the stadium behind us. The fans are now starting to flood in. We still have four hours to go until kickoff, but as you said, this is Portugal against France. Cristiano Ronaldo against Antoine Griezmann, a repeat of the Champions League final, which was then, of course, Real Madrid against Atletico. It was Ronaldo who came out on top that time. But it's Griezmann and France very much built as the favorites for this one. France seen as a far more complete and talented squad if you're talking man for man. Griezmann has been one of the stars of the tournament so far. He had a little bit of a slow start, but has really picked it up in recent times. He heads into the final, topping the goal scoring charts. He's scored six, including two against Germany. He, though, actually has something of split loyalties in this game, Becky. His grandparents were Portuguese. Of course, there's a very large Portuguese contingent here in France. But Cristiano Ronaldo, we know him so well as a superstar player that can turn a game within a split second. And he absolutely has a point to prove here. He was part of that Portugal side who were beaten on home soil by Greece in 2004. He knows what it feels like to lose a final of the European championship in front of his home fans. But it doesn't matter to him this evening. He will want to be doing just that to France.</s>ANDERSON: Launching drones and sending thousands of officers to the match. The tournament is considered to be a potential target for terrorists. And all this in a city that has been struck before.</s>ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONENT: Two of the gunmen at least went into the offices of Charlie Hebdo.</s>JIM BITTERMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: ...France have concealed the neighborhoods have been closed off. They may still think there's still somebody out there.</s>ANDERSON: It's been 18 months since the shootings at Charlie Hebdo and eight since the November attacks that left 130 people dead in this city of Paris. And while the city and the country is still dealing with the wounds of those events, this is a city ready to move on. The sun is shining here in the city of light. So come with me as I take stock of the mood ahead of Sunday's final. A lot of focus this past year and a half has been on the security threats facing France. And just days before the Euro 2016 tournament kicked off, it seemed even mother nature didn't want to play ball. The River Seine flooded to levels not seen in decades. Nowhere represents French resilience more than this. The Place de La Republic. It's become the heart, the beating heart of Paris and by extension, the country. It's where in the aftermath of the attacks people gathered to vent their sorrow and frustration. And also to show their solidarity and desire to ensure that life continues to be lived to the fullest. Walking the streets of this city on a beautiful summer day, it's easy to think that all is well and that the healing power of football has succeed in unifying this country. Who knows what's ahead? Given that, I think we'd all be forgiven for having a little bit of fun. For now, what really matters is enjoying gay Paris and the beautiful game. Maestro, reveal.</s>ANDERSON: And here is that little masterpiece. A little bit later, I'm going to get my colleague Alex Thomas who is with me here to sign it as the first guest to do so this week. We thought we might auction it off, I don't know, later on. Alex, thank you.</s>ALEX THOMAS, CNN WORLD SPORT: I feel very honored.</s>ANDERSON: Thanks for joining us. The legendary French player Thierry Henri earlier today saying that football -- this is beyond football. And this is beyond sport. And when you're hear in Paris today, you certainly feel like that, don't you?</s>THOMAS: Yes, and he's right, but with certain conditions. We were speaking to a French sociologists a little bit earlier today, who pointed out comparisons between this final coming up and 1998 when France won a World Cup for the first time in their history and on home soil. There were half on the Champs Elysees that night. I expect similar numbers later if France do it again against Portugal. But things went wrong after that. It was seen at a time as the unification of a nation with real ethnic tensions within it, but as we found out world sport is a great sort of temporary morale boost, it can't solve society's problems. I worry for this France team this year if everyone's putting the pressure on them not just to win a football match, which is what they're there for, but to solve the country's problems.</s>ANDERSON: I think it was Mandela who said sport has the power to change the world. But you have got to temper that I think is what you are saying to a certain extent. You talked about the French bidding to replicate their 1998 World Cup success. And they will be guided in that by the prolific Mr. Griezmann, Monsieur Griezmann. Talk to us about him and just how important he is to the team.</s>THOMAS: He's not the same superstar that Zinedine Zidane was back in 1998 and that World Cup success. And by the way, France went on two years later to win the European championship again. They're trying to make it a third Euro title for them. But Griezmann was being mentioned by Bacary Sagna, his fullback on the France team, who is very experienced, has played at huge clubs, as being on the level with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. That's praise indeed. I think it's slightly early for that, but he's showing all the attributes of someone who can make a real mark on this game.</s>ANDERSON: Well, we can certainly see how he lines up against one of them, because indeed he is playing Cristiano Ronaldo tonight, who has made lots of noise ahead of this game because that's the kind of bloke he is really. How good is he? I mean, in the end, it sort of feels like Portugal have slightly limped into this final to a certain extent. A lot of people are saying that anyway. How good is he? And what should we expect from him today?</s>THOMAS: Yeah, and by the way, the consensus from the World Sport team here on CNN is the people are on board -- there is a lot of quality.</s>ANDERSON: We beg to differ on that one.</s>THOMAS: But that is the stereotype that's out there about them, because it's all been about him. Ever since he started these amazing goalscoring feats with Manchester United and then REal Madrid for the last half a dozen years or so, his record, and Lionel Messi's record as well is right up there with the very best, the Peles, the Maradonas, in the history of this game. But Messi quit Argentina only a few weeks ago after failure at the Copa America. So if Ronaldo can get one over on his great rival and actually get a major international football title. He's got plenty of Champion's Leagues and league titles. Then really you have to start putting him in the very highest category as far as football is concerned.</s>ANDERSON: I'm going to ask you to put your money where your mouth is, as it were. What do you think the result is going to be?</s>THOMAS: I think 1-1 after normal time. No goals in extra time. And the dreaded penalty shootout, just to get everyone's nails bitten down to the quick.</s>ANDERSON: Good stuff. Thank you very much indeed, sir. We will sign that picture a little bit later. And where is it? That doesn't work, anyway? We'll sign it a little bit later on...</s>THOMAS: The artist made you look very perky, Becky, I have to say.</s>ANDERSON: Thank you.</s>THOMAS: The Euro 2016 final isn't the only big match this weekend. In London, the Men's singles final at Wimbledon is playing out right now. Let's get the latest action on Centre Court from CNN tennis analyst James Blake who is there for us. And James, it is difficult to overstate the enormity of this game for either of these players. What's the score at this point?</s>JAMES BLAKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, right now, Andy Murray leading two sets to love. He's playing great tennis, really returning Milos Raonic's just rocket serve, putting a lot of pressure on his service games and doing a great job holding serve. Up two sets to love right now. He can just see the finish line to capturing a second Wimbledon title.</s>ANDERSON: It will be no surprise to learn from you, then, that Mr. Murray has a modicum of support at Wimbledon today, James, am I right?</s>BLAKE: Yes. The crowd is very, very electric for him. We can hear -- we're just outside the stadium and we can hear a roar every single time he wins a point. It's about 99 percent Murray supporters in there. It feels like a Davis Cup match. And they're just itching for another British champion here at Wimbledon.</s>ANDERSON: All right. Let's, before I let you go -- Raonic, he may be new to many of our viewers, but he's been around a bit, had a bit of time out for injury. Just how good is he?</s>BLAKE: Well, this is his first opportunity in a grand slam final. He's Canadian. He's 25 years old. The first Canadian man ever to be in a grand slam final. So he's got a lot of pressure on him. But his serve is here. It's a weapon. It's going to be around for years to come. If he stays healthy, he's going to have more opportunities like this. Most likely his best chance will be at Wimbledon where the courts are a little faster. It's just tough for him right now coming up against Andy Murray, playing his best tennis, and against the whole crowd being against him. But I think he'll have more opportunities in the future.</s>ANDERSON: Thank you, James. And that game ongoing. All right, still to come this evening on this show out of Paris for you today, new details on the gunman in Dallas who killed five police officers. We are going to look at his plans and his past. And a live report from Baghdad a week after the deadliest single attack to hit Iraq in years. That is later this hour. You're with us here in what is a very noisy Paris this afternoon. I'm Becky Anderson. Stay with us.