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The substitute Éder won the European Championship for Portugal with a brilliant goal after Cristiano Ronaldo went off injured in the first half
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Here’s Daniel Taylor’s match report on an unforgettable night
PORTUGAL ARE THE CHAMPIONS!
Ronaldo limps and winces up the steps with his team-mates. For the first time in a while he is wearing the broadest smile. After a few selfies and a lot of jumping around, Ronaldo lifts the trophy, screams with delight and starts kissing it. He looks like he cannot believe this has happened. The worst moment of his career has turned into the greatest.
That’s it for tonight’s live blog. Thanks for your company and emails; congratulations to Portugal on a famous triumph in considerable adversity. Night!
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It’s funny how football works (2). Without Iceland’s injury-time goal against Austria, Portugal would not be European champions.
It’s funny how football works. In the last 20 years, Portugal have had teams with far more attacking intent and flair, and they won bugger all. This team will forever be the first Portugal side to win a major tournament.
France started so well, but weirdly the Ronaldo injury seemed to interrupt their flow. Sissoko and the substitute Coman were brilliant going forward; the rest, not so much. This game will haunt them for a long while.
I don’t know where to start. This is a sensory overload of emotion. Portugal are European champions, despite losing Ronaldo after 25 minutes, despite winning one match in 90 minutes, despite looking like they could lose 4-0 in the first 10 minutes.
France are shattered, with Coman in tears as well. I’ve never known so many tears in a football match. So many people were immense for Portugal: Pepe, Nani, Rui Patricio, Ronaldo, Carvalho, Pepe, Pepe. Pepe.
Ronaldo collapses in tears for the 18th time tonight! Portugal are going absolutely wild! There are tears everywhere, Ronaldo is on his back. This is a glorious triumph of the human spirit. Where do you start? Pepe, who was utterly magnificent, has just been sick on the pitch.
PORTUGAL ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE!
What an astonishing story! Twelve years after their heartbreak against Greece, they have beaten the hosts 1-0 in the final!
120+1 min There are two minutes of added time, and Eder wins a free-kick. He has been brilliant.
120 min Joao Mario so nearly breaks through on goal, but Sagna makes a crucial last-man tackle. The move was sparked again by Nani, who has been magnificent since moving to the right wing.
119 min Quaresma is now playing at left back!
117 min Guerreiro has cramp, or some other injury, which leads to a break in play. He is being helped off the field, and they have used all three subs. I’m sure he’ll come back on even if it’s just to stand around and get in the way. Ronaldo is going mad on the touchline, trying to get Guerreiro back on the pitch.
116 min A great run from Nani, who has had a terrific game, ends with a low cross that is very well cleared by Sagna.
116 min Martial tries to run Cedric, who defends splendidly. Portugal are four minutes away from immortality.
114 min Pogba is booked for shoving over the breaking Joao Mario. Mark Clattenburg is inexorably homing in on Howard Webb’s record number of yellow cards at the 2010 World Cup final.
113 min Pepe takes no chances and heads behind for a corner. He has been immense. Griezmann’s corner is cleared to Joao Mario. He finds Quaresma, who has a fairly simple first-time ball to put Nani through on goal – and overhits it! Oh my goodness, what a chance that was.
112 min Another superb claim from Rui Patricio after a good left-wing cross from Evra.
110 min Ronaldo is in tears again! Martial is on for Sissoko, France’s last change. Martial has a look of total contempt on his face at the tardiness of his introduction.
This is a sensational finish! Eder has been excellent as a substitute and now he’s scored. He received the ball with his back to goal on the left, with Koscielny tight against him. He held him off, galumphed infield and then, from 25 yards, smashed a fierce low shot that beat the diving Lloris to his right.
GOAL! Portugal 1-0 France (Eder 109)
What a goal from the substitute Eder!!!
GUERREIRO HITS THE BAR!
It was a brilliant free-kick, clipped over the wall with his left foot. Lloris flew to his right and it clattered off the underside of the bar.
108 min Koscielny is booked for handball just outside the France box. It actually hit Eder’s hand. This could be a deluxe Joe Jordan moment, because the free-kick is 25 yards from goal.
107 min “Mind wandering a bit now Rob,” says Charles Antaki. “If it’s penalties, what price Ronaldo shaving his head, mingling with the players, and coming on as Pepe to take the winning kick?”
106 min Moutinho goes down after a high foot from Matuidi, who has been booked. Portugal want Matuidi sent off but I’m not sure he actually touched Moutinho. Either way, Mark Clattenburg gives just a free-kick.
Half time in extra time: Portugal 0-0 France
Ronaldo is going round encouraging the Portugal team, particularly Quaresma. I’m really surprised Martial hasn’t come on.
104 min A corner to Portugal on the right, to be taken by Quaresma. It’s a good utswinger that is headed towards goal by Eder, and as it kicks up Lloris is able to pat it away. It almost came for another Portugal playing following up, but a France player booted it clear. No, I’ve no idea who either of them were. It’s been a long tournament and I’ve got RSI in my left hand. You’re welcome!
102 min Sissoko overhits a cross from the right. Gignac chases doggedly after that, and then miscontrols it for a goal-kick.
101 min Pogba wins a corner on the right. France have a bit of momentum for the first time in a while. Griezmann will take the corner ... but it’s too deep and goes out for a throw-in. I’m really surprised Martial hasn’t come on.
99 min William Carvalho takes a booking for the cause, chopping Coman down after another superb run. Coman, Sissoko and Pepe have had great games.
98 min Matuidi is booked for a foul on Eder, who landed badly. Matuidi didn’t do much wrong but the landing made it look worse.
96 min “Is Carvalho the next Makelele?” asks Dileep Premachandran. “What a wonderfully assured display from one so young.”
95 min Guerreiro is booked for pulling back Sissoko.
90+4 min Eder has held the ball up well since coming on, and wins a free-kick after a foul by Umtiti. It’s 35 yards out, to the right of centre; Quaresma curls it towards Pepe, who flashes a header just wide. He’d been flagged offside so it wouldn’t have counted, though that wasn’t clear at the time and on TV it looked like it was going to ripple the far corner of the net.
93 min Nothing is happening. Portugal should theoretically be more tired, as this is their third period of extra-time. If France lose this on penalties, they will forever regret their lack of urgency.
92 min “My first finals were Mexico 86,” writes James Debens. “Nothing will ever beat the very Ulysses 31-sounding Rick Wakeman-soundtrack of “Hero”, the documentary of it voiced by Sir Michael Caine. Synth.” The bit where Francescoli is roughed up by the Danish defenders is literally the most dramatic audio I have ever heard, ever, and I listen to the Archers.
91 min France begin extra-time, kicking from right to left. Despite their best efforts, one of these sides will be European Champions in the next hour.
Full time: Portugal 0-0 France
It’s extra-time, and I need a convenience break. See you in a few minutes!
90+2 min GIGNAC HITS THE POST!
He’s done a Rensenbrink! It was a brilliant piece of play from the substitute Gignac. He received a low cross from Evra at the near post, on the six-yard line, and turned ingeniously away from Pepe – not once but twice – before scuffing his shot past Patricio and onto the inside of the near post.
90+1 min There will be three added minutes, and in the first of those Koscielny makes an excellent and vital tackle to stop Nani’s marauding run.
90 min A gorgeous cross from Sagna on the right just escapes the sliding Gignac and is calmly claimed by Rui Patricio.
88 min “Pogba doesn’t half vanish out of games for extended periods doesn’t he?” says Hubert O’Hearn. “Guy Mowbray mentioned his name and I had completely forgotten he was on the pitch.” Generation YouTube innit. That said, he’s only 23.
87 min Nani has looked more dangerous since moving to the right. It’s almost as if that’s his best position! He comes infield away from Evra tries to play a one-two with Eder, but Matuidi tracks him all the way and clears.
84 min Another save from Rui Patricio! Sissoko galumphed forward to within 25 yards before hitting a fierce shot across goal that was palmed away by Rui Patricio as he dived to his right. It was a dramatic save but pretty comfortable for a keeper of his apparently considerable quality.
84 min “Just got back after failing to get into the Paris Fan Zone,” says Robert Wilson. “I’m sorry to say that it kicked off pretty bigtime outside (and was still going when I scarpered). A good few broke through barriers. Cops attacked, teargas, charges and quite a few grey-haired American tourists festively thumped. I’m officially done with football. Wouldn’t happen at the cricket.” In 2016, it probably would. We all live in a Biff Tannen world.