Antoine Griezmann Plays his best again

The France striker is now fourth on the European Championship all-time scoring list

Antoine Griezmann was again the key man for France in their semi-final against Germany on Thursday in Marseille, scoring a brace in a 2-0 win that booked the hosts a place in the final.

Sunday's showpiece will see France take on Portugal - who beat Wales 2-0 to move into the final - with Griezmann the top goalscorer in the competition having struck six times.

\"Griezmann\"

In fact, only Michel Platini has ever scored more goals at a European Championship finals than Griezmann has managed so far at Euro 2016, with the France football legend finding the back of the net nine times at Euro 1984 as he led his team to victory on home soil.

Griezmann is now up to fourth on the list of all-time top goalscorers in the European Championship, drawing level with the likes of England's Wayne Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy of the Netherlands, Sweden star Zlatan Ibrahimovic and his compatriot, Thierry Henry.

Only Alan Shearer, Platini and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored more goals at the tournament than Griezmann, but it is Platini's achievements that Griezmann is most likely to be compared to.

The glory of Euro 84

No other player has ever had the titanic impact on a European Championship that Platini did at Euro 1984, although Griezmann is currently coming close.

In contrast to the expanded tournament of 2016, only eight teams took part in Euro 84, with Platini striding through the competition like a colossus to confirm his reputation as one of the greatest European players of all time.

Platini scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Denmark to get France up and running, before hitting hat-tricks against Belgium and Yugoslavia to see his team through the group stage with a 100 per cent record.

He was far from finished, however, scoring the extra-time winner to seal a 3-2 victory over Portugal and see his team through to the final of the competition on home soil.

Platini also had a major impact on the final, putting his team into the lead with a direct free-kick, France going on to beat Spain 2-0 to lift the trophy at the Parc des Princes.

Griezmann's route to the final

Griezmann had a slow start to Euro 2016 and there were even question marks about his role in the side during the group stage, but he has hit five goals in his last three appearances.

The Atletico Madrid striker opened his account at the tournament with a header against Albania after coming off the bench, but he and France were then unable to break down a stubborn Switzerland team in the last match of the group.

Griezmann came alive in the knock-out rounds, however, with a pair of superb finishes against Republic of Ireland securing a fine comeback after Robbie Brady's early penalty had put the Irish into a shock lead in Paris.

The forward continued his fine form in the next round against Iceland, finding the net again and linking up well with strike partner Olivier Giroud, but his performance against Germany was his best of the competition so far.

After Bastian Schweinsteiger handled the ball in the box, Griezmann stepped up to take the penalty under huge pressure, having missed a spot-kick in the final of the Champions League just a few short weeks ago.

But Griezmann beat Manuel Neuer from the spot and he then wrapped up the victory with a sharp finish after Neuer could only palm Paul Pogba's cross out to the diminutive striker.

Griezmann has already made history, but scoring the winner in the final would provide the perfect end to Euro 2016.