Dimitri Payet is worth not a penny less that 50 million pounds ($65.3 million), West Ham United co-chairman David Gold has said, but even that might not be enough to prise the France midfielder away from the London club.
But it was man-of-the-match Dimitri Payet who scored his second goal in as many matches to put the Frenchmen through to the knockouts.
The Euro 2016 has come to an end with Portugal defeating hosts France on Sunday to lift their biggest football title. UEFA, the organising body of European Championships has now revealed the Team of the Tournament for Euro 2016. Four Portugal players, three Germans and two each from France and Wales have made this team, which is selected by a 13-strong panel of technical observers also including legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
The race for Golden Boot award at the 2016 Euro Championship heats up with French players occupying the top three spots ahead of the semi-final round. France forward Antoine Griezmann leads the way in the race followed by his teammates Olivier Giroud and Dimitri Payet.
West Ham United eased into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with a 5-1 romp at second-tier Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.
Following his heroics against world champions Germany in the semifinal at Marseille, France forward Antoine Griezmann has emerged as a clear favourite to bag the Golden Boot award at the 2016 European Championship. Griezmann fired a brace past Germany to take his tournament tally to an astounding six goals. Such has been his dominance that the French magician leads Portugal hero Cristiano Ronaldo (3 goals) by a double margin in the tournament's goal's tally.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has defended Dimitri Payet after the influential midfielder was accused of diving by Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal during Sunday's 1-1 FA Cup draw.
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, who won the 2022 Ballon d'Or award, is also in the shortlist.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has defended France midfielder Dimitri Payet after Watford players accused him of showboating last Saturday.
France entered Euro 2016 supposedly as an attacking side with defensive weaknesses, yet Les Bleus have confounded that image by conceding only one goal while scoring four in the group phase.
Dimitri Payet struck a brace for the Hammers against a tired Newcastle, whose players had to trudge the last mile to West Ham United's stadium after their team coach became stuck in London's rush-hour traffic before Monday's Premier League fixture.
Dimitri Payet's spectacular late strike earned France a 2-1 win over Euro 2016 Group A rivals Romania on Friday, giving the host nation a flying start to their campaign.
Rediff.com presents a flashback of those moments at Euro 2016 that personify pure ecstasy...
France coach Didier Deschamps was more than just relieved after his team scored two late goals to beat a stubborn Albania team 2-0 on Wednesday and reach the second round of Euro 2016.
Sweden missed the influence of captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was resting a sore calf muscle, as they struggled to create chances in a dull 0-0 draw with Slovenia in their penultimate Euro 2016 warm-up in Malmo on Monday.
Play was stopped in the first half and players left the field over the banners displayed by Nice fans. French media also reported homophobic chanting by the home supporters.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been summoned by the French League's (LFP) disciplinary commission to explain derogatory remarks he made after Paris St Germain's 3-2 defeat at Girondins Bordeaux last weekend.
France decimated Iceland in a 5-2 win to end the Nordic nations Euro 2016 dream run in the quarter-final on Sunday.
Real Madrid and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo said that he intends to come back stronger for the upcoming season.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will resume their perennial battle to be crowned the world's best footballer after they headed the shortlist of 30 players for the 2016 Ballon d'Or announced on Monday.
Albania are unlikely to pose much of a threat to France but Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann will be expected to produce sharper performances in Wednesday's Group A match when victory should assure the hosts a last 16 spot in Euro 2016.
Switzerland followed France through to the last 16 of Euro 2016 by holding the host nation to a 0-0 draw in their final Group A match on Sunday after the unlucky French hit the woodwork three times on Sunday. France had the best chances in a lively first half but the intensity then dropped, with both sides looking happy with a result that means Les Bleus win the group with seven points from three games ahead of the Swiss in second two points back.
France coach Didier Deschamps confirmed his final Euro 2016 squad on Tuesday, including defenders Adil Rami and Samuel Umtiti in place of the injured Raphael Varane and Jeremy Mathieu. Liverpool centre back Mamadou Sakho was not included even though his 30-day provisional suspension for failing a drugs test expired last weekend. Hosts France geared up for the finals with a 3-2 victory over Cameroon in Nantes on Monday. They take on Scotland in Metz on Saturday.
Used to relying heavily on one key player for their European glory in the past -- Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane in the 1984 and 2000 tournaments respectively -- French fans have two talented players on whom to pin their hopes at Euro 2016.
After tweaking his formation and starting lineup at Euro 2016, France coach Didier Deschamps seems to have found the perfect formula at just the right time. Thanks to his shrewd tactics, his team turned on the style to outplay Iceland 5-2 on Sunday and advance to an appetising semi-final battle with Germany. The fact that France, who had never got past the last eight at the finals since their 2000 triumph, managed to get almost everything right, has a lot to do with Deschamps' methods.
Florian Thauvin headed in Payet's free kick after 15 minutes and Clinton Njie calmly slotted home in the 63rd to put Marseille in the driving seat against the Austrian champions.
Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann struck twice as the Spanish side outclassed hapless Olympique de Marseille 3-0 on Wednesday to win the Europa League for the third time.
Olympique de Marseille stretched their Ligue 1 lead to four points after man of the match Florian Thauvin and Rod Fanni clinched a 2-0 home win over Nantes on Friday.
As Ronaldo cried over his fate while the moth sat on his eye, some smart folk decided to create a meme out of the situation.
Leicester City's England striker Jamie Vardy has been named Premier League Player of the Season after his pivotal role in the club's remarkable title-winning campaign.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp will return to the dugout for Tuesday's FA Cup fourth-round replay at West Ham United after missing the draw with Sunderland due to illness and he hopes to be joined by Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho. The German, who said he would have to keep his emotions in check on the sidelines after being treated for an appendicitis at the weekend, confirmed that striker Divock Origi had also resumed training after undergoing knee surgery. "I had one not too good night but I feel good," Klopp told reporters on Monday. "I'm experienced enough to know. I'm not going to jump or something when I have a few holes in my body." Striker Sturridge, who was on the bench against Sunderland after two months out, would have played at the weekend if Liverpool had not been forced into making early changes due to injuries, Klopp said. Klopp identified midfielder Dimitri Payet as West Ham's key player.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann appear among the 55 nominees for the FIFPro 2016 World 11 released on Friday but England forward Wayne Rooney failed to make the shortlist for the first time. Portugal captain Ronaldo, led his country to victory at Euro 2016, while France forward Griezmann was the top player at the tournament. It is the first time that 25-year-old Griezmann has made the cut, but England captain Rooney is absent for the first time in the competition's 12-year history, after England crashed out of Euro 2016 to lowly Iceland.
Images from soccer matches played across different leagues in Europe on Sunday
Jordan Ayew scored for Lorient against his former side Olympique de Marseille as the Ligue 1 leaders were held to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday.
Chelsea exploited Manchester City's decision to field a weakened team by romping to a 5-1 win in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday as they joined London rivals West Ham United and Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals.
Liverpool took the lead against West Ham United but then had to come from behind in another game of thrills and spills for Juergen Klopp's unpredictable side who where held to a 2-2 home draw in the Premier League on Sunday.
Arsenal are not only hoping to win a first European trophy since 1994, but know their hopes of qualifying for next year's Champions League depend on winning the Europa League in the French city of Lyon next month.
Centre forward Eder, who scored the winning goal in the Euro 2016 final against France, was among 10 players from that squad omitted from Santos's list. Other unlucky players included midfielders Andre Gomes and Renato Sanches, forward Nani and defender Eliseu.
When you're a star as big as Cristiano Ronaldo, it's very difficult to fade into the background.
Ronaldo's replacement Dybala scored in the 77th minute with a goal the Portuguese would have been proud of. After a quick exchange of passes, the Argentine twisted past Alessio Romagnoli and beat Gianluigi Donnarumma with a right foot shot.
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