Portugal’s men o’war rule Europe

France 0, Portugal 1 (AET): Portugal have had to face being called a one-man team for a long as Cristiano Ronaldo has kicked a football but on the night when they lost their talisman to injury, they provided one of the greatest backs-to-the-wall victories the European Championships have ever seen, as substitute Eder ended France’s dream in Paris last night.

Rated huge underdogs from the very start, playing against the hosts in the Stade de France in St Denis, nobody gave Fernando Santos’ men much hope of lifting the trophy — at least not unless Ronaldo did something special out of the blue.

So when Ronaldo limped off in tears after 24 minutes the prospect of the 2004 runners-up ending the tournament as champions seemed almost impossible.