Portugal defeated France with the score 1:0 in the final of Euro 2016 in France and became the new European champion in football for the first time in the history of your country.In the middle of the first half, Cristiano Ronaldo was injured. The striker tried several times to get back in the game, but eventually left the field on a stretcher.
The match took place with a noticeable territorial advantage tricolor, but France did not have luck in a finishing stage of attacks, but also the Portuguese saved by Rui patrÃcio. In stoppage time Andre-Pierre Gignac was able to bring the French victory, but hit the post.
At 109 minutes, the dog was alone in the penalty area and shot into the near bottom corner, Hugo Lloris did not have time to react to the kick.Before Ronaldo said that the Portugal squad for the first time in its history, win the Euros
Cristiano Ronaldo's first half injury in the Stade de France on Sunday night seemed like good news for the hosts at first... it didn't turn out that way.
While Ronaldo the player, was at first in tears and bandages in the dressing room, Ronaldo the coach was soon unleashed on the touchline – Ron Manager as we had never seen him before.
'Our captain put in an immense effort,' Portugal's first-team coach Fernando Santos said. 'He has amazing team spirit. Twice he tried to get back on the pitch in spite of his injury but him being in the dressing room and on the bench was very important for us. He believed - just like myself - that it was going to be our night.'
Santos' own performance should not be overlooked. He was manager of the tournament with his inspired substitutions, permanent Mr Angry facial expressions, and clever selection calls - most notably making William Carvalho his midfield anchor - but Ronaldo looked like his dynamic No 2 on Sunday.
We saw all the passion he usually shows on the field as he kept Santos company in the technical area willing the players over the finishing line in the final few minutes. He even piled into the back of his manager in one moment of caged frustration; and smashed his fist down on to the injured knee of Adrien Silva in another as they sat together on the bench.
It was not the first time we had seen such behaviour from him. Ahead the quarter-final penalty shoot-out with Poland he spotted that his team-mate Moutinho was having grave doubts about taking a spot-kick; no doubt remembering the one he had saved four years earlier against Spain.
Ronaldo approached his team-mate and told him in no uncertain terms: 'You're going to take one, you take penalties well – come on, take it! If you miss, then don't worry.'
No one celebrated more than Ronaldo when Moutinho's kick hit the back of the net as Portugal beat Poland and went on to face Wales in the semi-final. Just as no one celebrated more than Ronaldo in the Stade de France as Portugal won the final without him on the pitch. 'It was a very, very tough moment. It was a really tough moment for me and for the team,' Portugal full back Cedric Soares said of Ronaldo's injury. 'I think everybody was a little bit in shock but at half-time Cristiano had fantastic words with us.
'He gave us a lot of confidence and he said, "Listen people, I'm sure we will win this Euro so stay together and fight for it".'
'It was unbelievable. All the team had a fantastic attitude and showed that when you fight as one you are much much stronger.
'He was fantastic. His attitude was unbelievable. At half-time he helped a lot, our colleagues, he had always a lot of motivational words. All the team reacted to them so it was very, very good.'
Could it really be a sign of things to come for Ronaldo when he can no longer do the business as a player? Let's face it, that might not be for another 10 years yet as he continues to defy the passing of time with his 50-goals a season campaigns year-on-year, but when he finally hangs up his personalised boots will he quickly tire of selling pants and perfume and head back to the technical area as a coach?
The embrace with Sir Alex Fergsuon amid the celebrations in Paris were a reminder of how if Ronaldo does go into management he will be able to draw on the experience of having worked with some of the best coaches in the history of the game. Fergie, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti will have been the perfect teachers.Truly great players don't usually make top coaches but Zinedine Zidane won the Champions League at Real Madrid within five months of taking over, so again Ronaldo has an excellent role model. And if he doesn't fancy the day-to-day slog of club management, international coaching might be his calling.
It all seemed a long way off on Monday as he celebrated winning his first trophy with Portugal. His sprained knee ligaments will require at least a month's rest and may delay his start to the season but once he is back up and running he will no doubt soon click into the same groove he has been in for the last decade.
Barcelona papers made plenty of the fact that Portugal had won the final without Ronaldo but that seemed churlish and somewhat overlooked his monumental display in the group game against Hungary which saw them scrape through into the knockout rounds.
He more than played his part - on the pitch during six games... and on the touchline during the seventh.
