The European Championship of 2016 in France was expanded to 24 teams from the previous 16. UEFA needed to keep the money machine going, but it also meant that the structure needed to be changed: the top two teams would progress from the six groups, as well as the best third-placed teams. As it turned out, this would have interesting consequences in the tournament.
France were big favourites in the tournament; the home team was building up a strong team for the 2018 World Cup (that they would go on to win) with a combination of experience and from its immense talent that played in some of the best teams in Europe.
Hugo Lloris from Tottenham was goalkeeper and captain, while he also had a strong defense organised around Juventus’ veteran Patrice Evra, alongside Bacary Sagna from Manchester City and Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny. The midfield was perhaps the strongest in the world player for player with such superstars as Juventus’ machine Paul Pogba, West Ham’s elegant Dimitri Payet, PSG’s Blaise Matuidi and Newcastle’s Moussa Sissoko. A new player was the fantastic Ngolo Kante who counted for almost three players with his enormous work-ratio. Attack was also strong, with Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud, Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, as well as the talented youngsters Kinglsey Coman and Anthony Martial from Bayern Munich and Manchester United respectively. The side was managed by the captain of the 1998 World Cup winners, Didier Deschamps.
France did not have to qualify, and they won their first stage group surely, but without showing much. They defeated Romania 2-1, Albania 2-0, and a 0-0 tie with Switzerland put them in first spot and a knock-out match against Ireland, which they won 2-1. In the quarterfinals they faced the surprising Icelanders, whom they defeated 5-2, and the semifinals were the first match where one felt they were really tested, as they faced their German archivals who had so often defeated them, but they won 2-0 and were in the final, and all of France were ready to lift the trophy in Paris as they were to face Portugal.
Portugal had won their qualification group ahead of Albania and Denmark. The Iberian side had a strong team led by the Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo who was widely considered the best player in the world alongside Lionel Messi. But manager Fernando Santos also had other strong players: Pepe from Real Madrid, Monaco’s Ricardo Carvalho, and Bruno Alves from Fenerbahce in defense. In midfield players included Monaco’s Joao Moutinho, as well some extremely talented youths such as William Carvalho and Joao Mario from Sporting, Renato Sanches from Benfica and Andre Gomes from Valencia. Finally, the powerful striking force of Ronaldo was well-complemented with experienced veterans: Nani from Fenerbahce and Ricardo Quaresma from Besiktas.
There was no doubt it was a powerful team that had ambitions to win their first international tournament after their 2004 debacle at home to Greece in 2004.
But Portugal did not start well in a group they were expected to dominate. In their opening match they only managed a 1-1 against Iceland, who was playing their first match in an international tournament ever, and were equals to the Portuguese stars. In the second match Portugal only managed 0-0 against Austria, and were up against the wall against Hungary in the last match, where after being behind three times they managed to get a 3-3 tie.
Three points after three ties was not impressive, and with 16 teams Portugal would have been out of the tournament, but with 24 teams they just passed to the knock-out stage as one of the best third-placed teams. It was not elegant, and despite its attacking power Portugal played a defensive and holding style. In the last-16 they defeated Croatia 0-1 after extra time, when Quaresma scored the winner nearly before the penalty kicks. In the quarterfinals they defeated Poland after penalty kicks. Only in the semifinals did Portugal get their first victory in the tournament in ordinary time, when they defeated Wales 2-0, and this was enough to take them to a final against the giant favourites of France.
Now, the only reason this match is among the greatest matches, is because it was the final where Portugal won its first international senior title. It was in footballing terms an awful match that ended a very disappointing tournament. The greatest drama happened midway through the first half when the great Cristiano Ronaldo got injured and had to be taken out in tears. One has to wonder if this was the best for a Portuguese side that did not play well but fought on as underdogs with heart and soul against a French home side that despite having the ball and the initiative completely lacked ideas and penetration.
The match ended 0-0 and had to go into extra time, and at this point Portugal seemed to pressure more as they saw their chance against a team that was getting more desperate as time went by. Perhaps Portugal had learnt from their 2004 defeat at home to Greece?
In extra time the Guinea-Bissau born striker from Lille, Eder, who had come on for Renato Sanches late in the second half, scored the winner on a flat long-shot from outside the area. Portugal were understandably ecstatic for their first title, but for football fans it was a hugely disappointing final of what was perhaps the least memorable European championship ever (unless you are from Portugal or from Iceland).
Paris, 10th July 2016,
Stade de France
Attendance: 63,170
Referee: Marc Clattenburg, England
France-Portugal 0-1
France: Hugo Lloris (c); Samuel Umtiti, Laurent Koscielny, Patrice Evra, Bacary Sagna; Blaise Matuidi, Paul Pogba, Dimitri Payet (Kingsley Coman, 58), Moussa Sissoko (Antony Martial, 110); Olivier Giroud (Andre-Pierre Gignac, 78), Antoine Griezmann. Coach: Didier Deschamps
Portugal: Rui Patricio; Pepe, Jose Fonte, Cedric, Raphael Guerreiro; William Carvalho, Renato Sanches, (Eder, 79), Adrien Silva (Joao Moutinho, 66), Joao Mario; Cristiano Ronaldo (Ricardo Quaresma, 25), Nani.. Coach: Fernando Santos
Goals:
0-1 Eder (109)
