UEFA Euro 2016 final

After qualifying for Euro 2016 as winners of Group I with seven wins and a defeat in their eight matches, Portugal were drawn in Group F for the finals tournament. Their first group game was against Iceland at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Étienne on 14 June. Gylfi Sigurðsson had two early chances to put Iceland ahead but both shots were saved by Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patrício, before Nani gave Portugal the lead in the 31st minute after a cross from André Gomes. Five minutes into the second half, Iceland equalised when Birkir Bjarnason scored from a Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson cross that had been missed by Portugal's Vieirinha. Despite having the majority of the possession and more shots throughout the match, Portugal were unable to retake the lead and the game ended 1–1.[10][11] Portugal's second opponents were Austria at the Parc des Princes four days later. The first half ended goalless, but late in the second half, Portugal were awarded a penalty kick. Cristiano Ronaldo, who became his country's most-capped player in that game, was fouled in Austria's penalty area by defender Martin Hinteregger but missed the penalty, striking the foot of the goalpost. He also had a header disallowed for offside and the match ended 0–0.[12][13]

Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured playing against Poland in the quarter-finals) became his country's most capped player during the tournament.

In their final group match, Portugal faced Hungary at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais in Décines-Charpieu on 22 June. Zoltán Gera gave Hungary the lead in the 19th minute with a volley, before Nani struck a low shot past Gábor Király in the Hungary goal following a pass from Ronaldo to level the scores. Balázs Dzsudzsák restored Hungary's lead two minutes after half-time with a deflected shot, only for Ronaldo to make it 2–2 three minutes later. Dzsudzsák scored his second deflected strike in the 55th minute, but Ronaldo equalised once again, this time with a header in the 60th minute. The match ended 3–3, and with a late winning goal from Iceland against Austria, Portugal ended the group stage in third place. Only four of the six third-placed teams qualified; Portugal were ranked third of the six and progressed along with Slovakia, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.[14][15]

In the round of 16, Portugal faced Group D winners Croatia at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens on 25 June. The match was described by the BBC Sport's Saj Chowdhury as "a turgid affair", and noted as a game that "won't live long in anyone's memory" by Barry Glendenning in The Guardian.[16][17] Regular time ended goalless without a single shot in the first 24 minutes, a European Championship record. With three minutes of extra time remaining, Ronaldo's shot was kept out by Danijel Subašić, the Croatia goalkeeper, but Ricardo Quaresma headed in the rebound from close range to give Portugal a 1–0 victory.[16][18]

Portugal's quarter-final opponents, at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille on 30 June, were Poland, who took an early lead when Kamil Grosicki's cross was struck into the Portugal goal by Robert Lewandowski within the opening two minutes, the second-fastest goal scored in the history of the tournament at the time. With 17 minutes of the first half remaining, Renato Sanches played a one-two with Nani and struck a shot that deflected off Grzegorz Krychowiak into the Poland goal to level the scores at 1–1. The second half of the match was goalless, as were the two halves of extra time, so the game went to a penalty shoot-out. Ronaldo, Sanches and João Moutinho scored their penalties for Portugal, while Lewandowski, Arkadiusz Milik and Kamil Glik replied for Poland to make it 3–3. Nani then put Portugal ahead before Jakub Błaszczykowski's strike was saved by Rui Patrício. Quaresma scored Portugal's fifth penalty to seal the win and progression to the semi-finals.[19][20]

Portugal returned to the Parc Olympique Lyonnais on 6 July to face Wales, who were participating in their first major tournament since the 1958 FIFA World Cup. After a goalless first half, Portugal took the lead five minutes after the interval, when Ronaldo headed past Wayne Hennessey, the Wales goalkeeper, following a short corner. Three minutes later, Nani diverted a long-range shot from Ronaldo past Hennessey to give Portugal a 2–0 victory and progression to the UEFA European Championship final.[21][22]

Having qualified for Euro 2016 automatically as hosts, France were placed in Group A for the finals. In their first group match, they faced Romania at the Stade de France on 10 June. Antoine Griezmann came closest to scoring in a goalless first half when he struck the Romania goalpost with a header. Thirteen minutes into the second half, France took the lead when Olivier Giroud headed in Dimitri Payet's cross. Seven minutes later, Patrice Evra fouled Romania's Nicolae Stanciu in the France penalty area and Bogdan Stancu levelled the scores from the resulting penalty kick. With a minute of the match remaining, Payet scored from 20 yards (18 m) to give France a 2–1 victory.[23][24]

France's next opponents were Albania, against whom they played five days later at the Stade Vélodrome. Albania defended well and came close to taking the lead when Ledian Memushaj's shot hit the post. France scored in the last minute of normal time with the game's first shot on target when Griezmann headed in Adil Rami's cross. Six minutes into stoppage time and with the final kick of the match, Payet scored and France won 2–0.[25][26] In their final group match, France played Switzerland at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Villeneuve-d'Ascq on 19 June. Paul Pogba hit the frame of Switzerland's goal twice, while Payet also hit the crossbar. Bacary Sagna pulled the shirt of Switzerland's Blerim Džemaili in stoppage time in France's penalty area but no penalty was awarded, and the match ended 0–0. France ended as Group A winners and progressed to the round of 16.[27][28]

France faced the third-placed team from Group E, the Republic of Ireland, at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais on 26 June. In the second minute, Pogba fouled Shane Long in the France penalty area and Robbie Brady scored the resulting penalty to give the Republic of Ireland a 1–0 lead. Griezmann scored the equaliser with a header for France twelve minutes after half-time, before scoring his second four minutes later to make it 2–1. Shane Duffy was shown a red card in the 66th minute for a professional foul on Griezmann and although France won the match 2–1, both Rami and N'Golo Kanté were unavailable in the next round, having picked up two bookings in the tournament.[29][30]

France's quarter-final opponents were Iceland, who had knocked out England in the previous round. Giroud put France into the lead after 12 minutes with a low shot before Pogba doubled his side's advantage with a header eight minutes later. Payet scored in the 43rd minute with a low shot from around 30 yards (27 m), before Griezmann increased the lead further with a lob over Hannes Þór Halldórsson, the Iceland goalkeeper, to make it 4–0 just before half-time. Kolbeinn Sigþórsson scored for Iceland eleven minutes after the interval, before Giroud restored France's four-goal lead with a header from a Payet free kick. Bjarnason scored a headed goal with six minutes of the match remaining, but that proved to be the final goal as the game ended 5–2.[31][32]

In the semi-finals, France faced Germany, the 2014 FIFA World Cup winners, at the Stade Vélodrome on 7 July in a rematch of the 2014 World Cup quarter-final (won 1–0 by Germany). Two minutes into first-half stoppage time, Bastian Schweinsteiger was adjudged to have handled the ball when he challenged Evra in the penalty area, and Griezmann scored the resulting penalty to give France a 1–0 lead at half-time. With 18 minutes of the match remaining, Griezmann scored from close range after Manuel Neuer had failed to clear a cross from Pogba. Joshua Kimmich almost pulled a goal back for Germany, but his shot hit the frame of the France goal and his header on the rebound was saved by Hugo Lloris. The match ended 2–0 to give France their first victory over Germany in a major tournament since the 1958 FIFA World Cup.[33][34]

Portugal kicked off the final at around 9:00 p.m. CEST on 10 July 2016 in front of an attendance of 75,868, in sunny conditions with a temperature of 28 °C (82 °F) and 38% humidity.[43][44] After early mistakes from both José Fonte and Carvalho, in the fourth minute, Cédric Soares sent a long pass to Nani whose shot went over the France crossbar from 15 yards (14 m). Two minutes later, a header out from Fonte fell to France's Moussa Sissoko whose volley was off-target before Griezmann struck a half-volley wide of the Portugal goal. In the eighth minute, Payet put in a strong tackle on Ronaldo who subsequently appeared to be in pain. In the 10th minute, a mistake from Pepe allowed Payet to cross for Griezmann whose header was saved by Rui Patrício. Giroud's attempt to score from the subsequent corner was also saved by the Portugal goalkeeper.[22] In the 18th minute, Ronaldo left the pitch for medical attention and returned after a period of Portugal possession with a strapped knee before Sissoko struck a shot that was deflected just over the crossbar. Midway through the half João Mário volleyed wide of the France goal before Ronaldo, taken off the pitch on a stretcher, was substituted for Quaresma, and Portugal changed to a 4–1–4–1 formation with Nani playing alone upfront. In the 34th minute, Sissoko nutmegged Adrien Silva before striking a shot which was kept out by Rui Patrício. Cédric was then shown a yellow card for a foul on Payet. Three minutes later, Nani passed to Adrien Silva who was tackled in the France penalty area. From the resulting corner, Fonte headed over the crossbar. With four minutes of the half remaining, Payet's shot was blocked by Pepe. Two minutes into stoppage time, João Mario’s cross towards Nani passed wide of the far post and the half ended goalless.[45]

Ricardo Quaresma took an overhead kick at goal during the second half.

Neither side made any changes to their playing personnel during the interval and France kicked off the second half.[45] Four minutes in, Sissoko fouled Pepe, who then dispossessed Payet before he could shoot. In the 53rd minute, France won a corner after a clearance from Pepe which Rui Patrício caught on the second attempt. Pogba then struck a shot high over the Portugal crossbar from around 30 yards (27 m). There was a brief delay to the match while a pitch invader was removed by security. In the 56th minute, João Mario's cross was headed behind by Samuel Umtiti and Quaresma's subsequent corner was headed clear by Evra. Three minutes later, France made their first substitution of the game with Kingsley Coman coming on to replace Payet. Coman's first significant contribution was to pass to Griezmann whose shot was caught by Rui Patrício. In the 62nd minute, João Mario was shown the yellow card for tripping Giroud and four minutes later Pogba's pass found Coman who sent in a cross which Griezmann headed wide from 6 yards (5.5 m).[46]

Portugal then made their second substitution, with João Moutinho replacing Adrien Silva. With 17 minutes remaining, Coman played a one-two with Giroud but Coman's cross into the Portugal penalty area failed to find any of his teammates. Two minutes later, Coman passed the ball to Giroud in the Portugal box who struck it low but his shot was saved by Rui Patrício. In the 78th minute, both sides made their third substitutions, André-Pierre Gignac coming on for Giroud, and Eder replacing Renato Sanches. Nani's mis-hit cross was pushed away by Lloris before he caught Quaresma's subsequent overhead kick. Umtiti was then booked and Nani's 25-yard (23 m) left-footed strike went over the France crossbar.[46] In the 84th minute, Sissoko ran with the ball, shooting from around 25 yards (23 m), but his strike was kept out by Rui Patrício. Two minutes into stoppage time, Evra played in a low cross to Gignac, who beat Pepe and struck the ball against the inside of the Portugal goalpost. Regular time ended with the score still 0–0 and the match proceeded into extra time.[47]

France kicked off the first half of extra time and four minutes in, Eder won a free-kick after being fouled by Umtiti. Quaresma sent in a curling pass from around 35 yards (32 m) and Pepe headed it wide although he was offside. Raphaël Guerreiro was then booked for a foul on Sissoko before Blaise Matuidi was shown the yellow card for fouling Eder. Carvalho was booked a minute later for a professional foul on Coman. A minute before half time, Portugal won a corner which was taken by Quaresma. Eder headed the ball goalwards and Lloris pushed it away before his defence cleared it. Three minutes into the second half, Laurent Koscielny was shown the yellow card for handball (although television replays appeared to show the ball had actually struck Eder's hand)[48] and Guerreiro's subsequent free kick from around 25 yards (23 m) struck the underside of the France crossbar. A minute later, Portugal took the lead through Eder: he received the ball, held off Koscielny before running infield, and struck it from 25 yards (23 m) with a low shot that beat Lloris to his right. France immediately brought on Anthony Martial to replace Sissoko. Rui Patrício then caught a cross from Evra before Nani shot high after Portugal had made a break from a France corner. In the 114th minute, Pogba was booked for pushing João Mario. With four minutes remaining, Nani's cross was cleared by Sagna, who also made a tackle on João Mario in the final minute of extra time. After two minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle was blown and Portugal won the match 1–0.[47]

• O'Brien, Jonathan (2021). Euro Summits: The Story of the UEFA European Championship. Worthing: Pitch Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78531-849-8.