France break Germany's 50-year hold over hosts at finals.
Play
MARSEILLE, July 7, 2016 (AFP) - Antoine Griezmann's double for France in Thursday's 2-0 semi-final win over Germany at Euro 2016 broke die Mannschaft's 50-year winning streak against host nations at major tournaments.
The French victory in Marseille was the first time Germany had lost to the hosts at a major finals since their famous 4-2 defeat to England in the 1966 World Cup final at Wembley.
Germany had enjoyed half a century of ending host nations' involvement in their own tournament until their defeat at the Stade Velodrome.
Germany knocked Brazil out of the 2014 World Cup in emphatic style with a 7-1 thrashing in the semi-finals.
And six years before that, Germany beat co-hosts Austria 1-0 in the group stages of Euro 2008 to end their opponents' chances of reaching the knockout stages.
Previous to that, the Germans dumped out South Korea after the co-hosts' surprise run to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup.
It was also Germany who dashed England's dreams at Wembley in the semi-finals of Euro '96 -- the last time Germany won the European Championship -- in a nail-biting penalty shootout.
At the 1992 European Championship in Sweden, the home nation was beaten 3-2 by the Germans in the semi-finals before Denmark pulled off a shock 2-0 win in the final.
At the 1982 World Cup, a 2-1 win by Germany against hosts Spain in the second round ended the Spaniards' hopes of progressing.
Likewise, Mexico's party at the 1986 World Cup was over in the quarter-finals on penalties as Germany went on to lose the final to a Diego Maradona-inspired Argentina.
At the European Championship in 1972, Germany beat Belgium 2-1 in the Antwerp semi-final, following that up four years later with a 4-2 extra-time victory against Yugoslavia in Belgrade in the last four of the 1976 tournament.
France coach Didier Deschamps said the Euro 2016 hosts had beaten world champions Germany to reach the final by never giving up despite suffering relentless pressure.
"We found it tough but we didn't give up," Deschamps said as he celebrated the 2-0 win in Marseille.
Deschamps hailed Germany as "a great team." The World Cup holders easily dominated possession in the match.
"There is quality in this German team. And when they don't have the ball it gets even more complicated. We had the best team in the world opposite us."
Deschamps said he felt "so much joy, and happiness for the players because they deserved" the victory.
The players had felt the support of the French nation behind them, he said.
"Before we came to the stadium we saw people going crazy -- they are going to be even crazier on Sunday.
"I've always believed in my players. The ones I chose to form this squad have repaid me handsomely. This is their story, their victory."
- 'It's not over yet' -
=======================
Paul Pogba, the influential midfielder who provided the cross which led to Antoine Griezmann's second goal, said: "It's great, it's crazy. Look at all the people here to support us, it's magnificent.
"It's great, but it's not over yet."
Olivier Giroud paid tribute to two-goal hero Griezmann, his partner in the French forward line.
"'Grizi' did his job and we pushed them right to the end," Giroud said.
"He has had a great Euros and he has got stronger and stronger and silenced some critics.
"He has now taken the role of the leader of the attack for France and he is indispensable for us."
Experienced defender Patrice Evra said the team had been told so many stories about the last time France beat Germany in a major tournament, at the 1958 World Cup.
But he said the psychological barrier was broken with victory in the November 13 friendly which was soon forgotten when suicide bombers detonated their explosives outside the Stade de France at the start of a series of deadly terror attacks in Paris.
"As soon as we beat them in a friendly, it gave us a lift," Evra said.
"Of course they were strong, of course they were the favourites and they had good ball possession.
"But we told each other we would never give up. And that's why I'm proud of my teammates."
