Big statistic points to Gignac scoring in Euro 2016 final
Published:
At least one forward has scored in all of the last five European Championships finals.
In 1996 it was Oliver Bierhoff, both Sylvain Wiltord and Marco Delvecchio were on target four years later, Angelos Charisteas netted the only goal in 2004, Fernando Torres did the same in 2008 and then the Spaniard struck again in the 4-0 rout of Italy four years ago.
However, it is worth noting that since 1988, 12 goals have been scored in finals and only one of these goalscorers had previously been on target in the knockout rounds of the same tournament.
This player was Charisteas, who also nabbed the only goal in Greece’s 2004 quarter-final success over France.
What this does is make it difficult to back any of the favourites towards the top of the market to score in the 90 minutes in the Euro 2016 final.
Antoine Griezmann bagged a brace in France’s semi-final victory over Germany and not since Marco van Basten 28 years ago has a player been on target in both the last four and the final.
This statistic must also count against Portuguese strike pairing Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani, who scored the goals to sink Wales in the other semi-final.
The majority of France’s other likely scorers added their name to the scoresheet in the 5-2 thumping of Iceland in the quarter-finals, with Olivier Giroud, Paul Pogba and Dimitri Payet all helping themselves to goals in that success.
One Frenchman who has not only avoided scoring in the knockout rounds, but in the entirety of Euro 2016 thus far is Andre-Pierre Gignac.
Gignac may be playing second fiddle to Giroud in the battle to be France’s line leader, but he has appeared in five of the nation’s six matches en route to this final.
What’s more, the 30-year-old has been getting chances at the tournament, having nine goal attempts in total, with seven coming from inside the box.
Gignac is 13/5 to score in the 90 minutes against Portugal and a tempting 13/2 to grab the last goal of the game, on the basis that he will start on the substitute’s bench.
But a word of warning, not since West Germany’s Horst Hrubesch in 1980 has a player troubled the scorers more than once in a European Championships final.
Therefore, backers of Gignac, Ronaldo, Griezmann or anyone else within the France and Portugal ranks may be wise to avoid any multiple-goal betting markets.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
