A look at some of the talking points from the month-long tournament in France, which gripped world football
Portugal players celebrate their Euro 2016 triumph in an open bus on their arrival in the capital city of Lisbon yesterday
The Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel of Mathew teaches us to do unto others as they do unto us. Portugal's footballers followed that to the letter on Sunday night to upset France in the final of Euro 2016. On home soil 12 years ago, Portugal's golden generation had been ambushed in the final by unfancied Greece. The Greeks scored just seven goals in six games, but beat France, the Czech Republic – the best team in the competition – and Portugal (twice) to win the title.
Portugal players celebrate their Euro 2016 triumph in an open bus on their arrival in the capital city of Lisbon yesterday. Pic/AFP
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Portugal, who triumphed in Paris despite Cristiano Ronaldo being on the pitch for just 25 minutes – he spent most of it hobbling after a robust challenge from Dimitri Payet – didn't win a single game in the group stage, and won only one match in the regulation 90 minutes, the semi-final against Wales. But in Pepe, who had recovered from a hamstring strain, they had the final's outstanding performer. William Carvalho was exceptional in the spoiler's role in front of the back four, and Joao Mario, Ricardo Quaresma and Nani put in excellent shifts in forward positions despite France having the bulk of possession.
Here, we look back at some of the talking points from a month-long tournament:
Did the current format work?
If you go by the fairytale stories scripted by Wales and Iceland, the expansion to 24 teams from 16 was a success. If the quality of the football played is the criteria though, Euro 2016 left much to be desired. Few of the major sides produced more than one convincing performance, and the final tally of 108 goals in 51 matches was pitiful, the worst goals-per-game ratio since 27 goals were scored in 14 games during Euro 1980.
Best match and commentary
When Wayne Rooney scored early from the penalty spot, it seemed as though England would progress to a quarter-final against France without undue alarms. But by the 18th minute, Iceland, with the population of a London suburb, were in front, and they played with enough composure for the rest of the match to earn a richly deserved victory.
It prompted another epic verbal volley from Gudmundur Benediktsson, the Icelandic commentator who had become a global cult figure after his goal celebration against Austria. Coming as it did mere days after the UK voted for Brexit, Benediktsson's words were a proper kick in the teeth. "You can go home. You can go out of Europe. You can go wherever the hell you want. England 1, Iceland 2 is the closing score here in Nice. And the fairy tale continues."
History repeats itself in funny ways
Zinedine Zidane was a 12-year-old ballboy at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille in June 1984 when Michel Platini's goal a minute before the end of extra time clinched France's place in the final of Euro 1984. The assist had come from the Mali-born Jean Tigana, and the beaten opponents were Portugal. Two generations on, it was the turn of Eder, born in Guinea-Bissau, to turn the tables and ensure that it was the French that suffered extra-time heartache. Spare a thought too for André-Pierre Gignac, whose deft footwork and poise had set up a shooting chance late in normal time. Agonisingly for him and France, it came back off the post with the otherwise magnificent Rui Patricio well beaten. There were echoes of Rob Rensenbrink, the Dutch maestro, in 1978. Through on goal, with the World Cup final against Argentina tied at 1-1, his shot came back off the upright. Mario Kempes would then score twice in extra time to give the hosts the glory. "If the trajectory of my shot had been five centimetres different, we would have been world champions," said Rensenbrink later. "On top of that, I would have been crowned top scorer and perhaps chosen as the best player of the tournament — all in the same match. That's why I keep things in perspective." It may take Gignac a while to accept his misfortune so philosophically.
Griezmann, a clear Golden Boot winner
Antoine Griezmann was the clear winner of the Golden Boot, proof again that skill will always trump size. But despite the six goals, it will be the miss that he remembers most – a glancing header from Kingsley Koman's cross that flashed just over the bar. It was that sort of night for the French, who lacked a cutting edge when it mattered most. Plenty of time now for Didier Deschamps to ponder the omission of Karim Benzema, the most complete French centre forward of his generation.
Dileep Premachandran is Wisden India's editor-in-chief
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