Friday 8 July 2016 06:48, UK
Didier Deschamps praised his France players for "writing history" after they beat Germany to book a place in the Euro 2016 final.
Antoine Griezmann scored in each half in France's 2-0 victory in Marseille, setting up a meeting with Portugal at the Stade de France on Sunday.
France coach Deschamps expects home advantage to play a significant part in the final, and is already thinking about how best to prepare for the encounter.
"We have three days before the final, it's very short so we have to savour this victory," he said. "It's an important step forward but the most important step is Sunday.
"We're going to do everything in our power to go in to Sunday's game in the best possible condition.
"We had to suffer but never gave up and that's great for me. This is a great story - the players wrote history by knocking out Germany.
"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."
"We don't have the power to solve people's problems but we can generate emotions so they forget their worries. We generate passion and fervour, we can see that."
Paul Pogba, the influential midfielder who provided the cross which led to 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 also 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 said the psychological barrier was broken with victory in a friendly on November 13.
"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."
