Portugal beat France to win Euro 2016 final with Éder’s extra-time goal

In the end, Cristiano Ronaldo had his hands on
the trophy even if it was not the way the
ultimate showman had intended. Portugal, the
team that finished third in their group, had found
a way even on a night when their greatest
footballer was taken off on a stretcher. The
players of France were on their knees and
suddenly it was a sunrise of a smile on Ronaldo’s
face, in stark contrast to the devastation that
had been seen earlier in the night.
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Has any player been through as many
contrasting emotions in the space of a major
final? Ronaldo was in tears when he left the
pitch with his damaged knee in the first half. He
had tried desperately to carry on and when he
finally accepted it was futile it felt like a grievous
setback to Portugal’s hopes of denying France
the outcome that would have meant so much in
this city. Ronaldo looked broken. The final was
deprived of its main attraction and at that stage
it was tempting to wonder whether his team-
mates truly believed they could cope.
Portugal subsequently played like a team
affronted by the suggestion they might be overly
reliant on one man. They gave everything to keep
out France during the long passages when the
host nation put them under pressure.
Their sense of adventure grew as the game wore
on and, ultimately, Éder’s decisive goal in the
second period of extra time won a test of
endurance. Their run of 10 successive defeats to
France, stretching back to 1978, was over and
Ronaldo, his leg heavily strapped, climbed the
steps to collect the silverware – an excruciating
low, an exhilarating high and a night like few
others.
Portugal can duly reflect on their greatest ever
victory, made all the more remarkable by the
fact they could not beat Iceland, Hungary or
Austria in the group stages. Their safety-first
tactics will not appeal to everyone but nobody
could dispute their competitive courage and
mental toughness after the jarring challenge that
meant their three-times Ballon d’Or winner was
unable to influence the game in the way he
would have imagined.