Euro 16 Let Down

After all the expectation and build up - Euro 16 came and went without the expected fireworks and fanfare we all had hoped would eventuate. For FPA fans out there we'll stick to the teams that mattered, and that's the SB and JM managed Portugal and France respectively.

Portugal looked the goods through the group stages. Comfortable without really ever looking threatened. We all just assumed they would come alive in the Finals. How wrong we were.

France on the other hand, started like a shot out of a canon in the groups. Easing to victory in game 1, before slowly losing momentum with a draw and then a loss. But once again we all expected they would breathe new life once in the final stages and to some extent JM's team didn't disappoint.

But it would be going against tradition if there wasn't a 'glitch' to have the fans and pundits complaining. An error in the draw meant the FIFA 16 God's would need to intervene with the dreaded SIM - and who knows what this would mean for our likely heroes.

For Portugal you would say it did very little except give them a dream run through to the final. Conspiracy theorists once again out in force to say SB had somehow conspired with 'the system' to rig another competition in his favour. We will never know.

For France, it gave them a more difficult draw, and a massive disadvantage of losing first Payet to injury, and Giroud to suspension. Neither would get to feature again in the competition.

France however to their credit pushed through in the Quarter Finals - hammering a hapless Austria 4-1 to progress and started to look every bit the favourites.

Portugal however had no answer to a spirited Switzerland who were never going to be beaten on a day SB and his chargers will likely want to forget. Portugal eliminated. The Euro dream over - and SB would lament on where he went wrong after putting so much energy into this Portugal team. Some would say he and Ronaldo never saw eye to eye - considering the Classico rivalries of years gone past. Its hard to argue when Ronaldo looked a shadow of his usual self in this Cup.

Ronaldo grimaces in pain as the ref blows full time against Switzerland

For France, it would also end in shock horror. A difficult game against Italy is all that stood between them and a Finals spot and it would only take one moment, one second of lapsed concentration, for Italy to steal a late goal and take the spoils on France's home turf. Sadness gripped a nation - and JM would be left in tatters.

So much hope ends in sadness for France

For the record Belgium beat Italy to lift the trophy for the first time in their history.

Truly a disappointing cup. See you at the World Cup.