Sunday’s European Championship final in Paris will make history. Either Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo will capture their first-ever major title or host France will win its fourth consecutive championship on home soil, following victories in the 2003 Confederations Cup, 1998 World Cup and 1984 Euros.
In many other ways, however, the game (noon PDT, ESPN and ESPN Deportes) will be little different from past Euro finals. There will be a winner and a loser, a hero and a goat. There will be moments of spectacular athleticism and, given the conservative nature of most finals, long periods of tedium.