# UEFA Euro 2016 final
The **UEFA Euro 2016 final** was the deciding match of the 2016 [UEFA European Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-european-championship), played on 10 July 2016 at the [Stade de France](https://www.edgepedia.org/stade-de-france) in Saint-Denis, in which Portugal beat hosts France 1-0 after extra time to win their first major international trophy.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) Substitute Éder scored the only goal in the 109th minute, a strike from about 20 meters that beat France goalkeeper [Hugo Lloris](https://www.edgepedia.org/hugo-lloris).[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Result | Portugal 1-0 France (after extra time), 10 July 2016, Stade de France, Saint-Denis[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) |
| Winning goal | Substitute Éder, 109th minute, his first competitive goal for Portugal[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) |
| Defining incident | Captain Cristiano Ronaldo injured in a challenge by Dimitri Payet and substituted in the 25th minute[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) |
| Significance | Portugal's first major tournament trophy; the first time a team that finished third in its group became European champions[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/10/portugal-euro-2016-winners-doves-serpents) |
| Possession | Portugal won the final with 47% of the ball[3](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c37ca8d3-53583c5c0132-1000--euro-2016-technical-report-5-does-possession-matter/) |
| Man of the Match | Pepe, who had missed the semi-final with a thigh injury[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) |
| Referee | Mark Clattenburg (England)[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) |
## How the teams arrived
Portugal reached the final without winning a match inside 90 minutes until the semi-final. They drew all three group games, against Iceland, Austria, and Hungary, and advanced as one of the best third-placed teams, then needed extra time to beat Croatia and a penalty shoot-out to beat Poland before defeating Wales 2-0 in the last four.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) • [4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/025e-0f9fdb15ba65-d27a2a1bb326-1000--classics-2016-final/) Coach Fernando Santos promised the final would give the "Portuguese people the greatest joy of their lives".[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/025e-0f9fdb15ba65-d27a2a1bb326-1000--classics-2016-final/)
France, champions in 1984 and 2000 and favorites for a third title, had topped their group and beaten the [Republic of Ireland](https://www.edgepedia.org/republic-of-ireland), Iceland, and Germany in the knockout rounds.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/025e-0f9fdb15ba65-d27a2a1bb326-1000--classics-2016-final/) [Antoine Griezmann](https://www.edgepedia.org/antoine-griezmann), the tournament's top scorer with six goals, and [Dimitri Payet](https://www.edgepedia.org/dimitri-payet) were their principal threats.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/025e-0f9fdb15ba65-d27a2a1bb326-1000--classics-2016-final/) Portugal had lost ten consecutive matches against France before this game, a run dating back to 1975.[5](https://as.com/futbol/2016/07/10/eurocopa/1468113601_311881.html)
## The match
Ronaldo's evening ended early. A heavy collision with Payet in the eighth minute damaged his left knee; he tried to continue with the leg heavily strapped, then left the field in tears in the 25th minute, replaced by [Ricardo Quaresma](https://www.edgepedia.org/ricardo-quaresma), with a standing ovation from all corners of the ground.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/10/portugal-euro-2016-winners-doves-serpents) Santos kept the 4-4-2 diamond shape, and Portugal switched to a 4-3-3 with Nani moving up front.[6](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c1a804a6-33faeffb0726-1000--how-fernando-santos-plotted-portugal-s-path-to-glory/) • [7](https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/jul/11/portugal-victory-resilience-fernando-santos-france-euro-2016-final)
**Chances were scarce.** [Rui Patrício](https://www.edgepedia.org/rui-patricio) tipped away a looping header from Griezmann and later kept out [Moussa Sissoko](https://www.edgepedia.org/moussa-sissoko)'s thumping strike, while Lloris was mainly called on to deal with Nani's miscued cross and Quaresma's acrobatic attempt.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) In added time at the end of 90 minutes, substitute [André-Pierre Gignac](https://www.edgepedia.org/andre-pierre-gignac) turned in the box and shot against a post with the Portugal keeper beaten for the only time in regulation.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) Early in extra time, Raphaël Guerreiro's free-kick struck the crossbar with Lloris beaten.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/)
**The winner.** Santos sent on Éder in the 79th minute, a striker scarcely used by him before, to give Portugal a focal point and an out ball.[6](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c1a804a6-33faeffb0726-1000--how-fernando-santos-plotted-portugal-s-path-to-glory/) In the 109th minute Éder shrugged off [Laurent Koscielny](https://www.edgepedia.org/laurent-koscielny) and fired in from outside the box, the goal that decided the tournament.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) • [6](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c1a804a6-33faeffb0726-1000--how-fernando-santos-plotted-portugal-s-path-to-glory/) Ronaldo, from the technical area, had told Éder before extra time that he would score the winning goal, and Éder later credited that encouragement for giving him strength and positive energy.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/)
## Tactics and key performers
The tactical contest was essentially 4-4-2 against 4-4-2, with Portugal's shape closer to a diamond midfield in which [Adrien Silva](https://www.edgepedia.org/adrien-silva) pushed forward and [William Carvalho](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-carvalho) protected the defense. For long spells neither side could penetrate the opposition's two banks of four.[7](https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/jul/11/portugal-victory-resilience-fernando-santos-france-euro-2016-final) Carvalho, recalled after Danilo played against Wales, helped squeeze out [Blaise Matuidi](https://www.edgepedia.org/blaise-matuidi) and Paul Pogba, and Adrien Silva was pivotal alongside him.[6](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c1a804a6-33faeffb0726-1000--how-fernando-santos-plotted-portugal-s-path-to-glory/)
Pepe, fit again after missing the semi-final, was named Man of the Match for keeping Griezmann quiet and marshalling a backline France could not penetrate.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) • [2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/10/portugal-euro-2016-winners-doves-serpents) France's attacking play was lopsided: of the 15 passes that produced a French shot, 11 came down the left of the pitch and none down the right.[7](https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/jul/11/portugal-victory-resilience-fernando-santos-france-euro-2016-final)
## Records and aftermath
The victory gave Portugal its first major trophy in its history, at the 51st match of the tournament.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/) • [8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2YnGW2nNZI) France coach [Didier Deschamps](https://www.edgepedia.org/didier-deschamps) noted that it was the first time a team finishing third in its group had become European champions, and called the defeat a great chance missed.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/10/portugal-euro-2016-winners-doves-serpents) It was France's first tournament defeat on home soil in 19 games, since the 1960 third-place play-off.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/)
Portugal won the final with 47% possession, consistent with a tournament in which possession translated into victory in only 31% of matches; UEFA's chief technical officer Ioan Lupescu described the competition as a contest between possession play and the ability to defend well and hit the target.[3](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c37ca8d3-53583c5c0132-1000--euro-2016-technical-report-5-does-possession-matter/) Renato Sanches, at 18 years and 328 days, broke Ronaldo's 2004 record as the youngest player to feature in a EURO final and was named Young Player of the Tournament.[9](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c31d1377-b1a68e0d315e-1000--the-year-in-review-uefa-euro-2016-recapped/) Éder, who had played 267 minutes for Swansea City the previous season without scoring a league goal before being loaned to Lille, became the unexpected match-winner.[2](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/10/portugal-euro-2016-winners-doves-serpents) Portugal went on to host and win the inaugural 2019 UEFA Nations League, beating the Netherlands in the Porto final.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/025e-0f9fdb15ba65-d27a2a1bb326-1000--classics-2016-final/)
## References
1. [Portugal spoil France's party with extra-time win, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c3763c88-e741506b5589-1000/)
2. ['We were simple as doves, wise as serpents': Portugal toast Euro 2016 win, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/10/portugal-euro-2016-winners-doves-serpents)
3. [EURO 2016 technical report 5: Does possession matter?, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c37ca8d3-53583c5c0132-1000--euro-2016-technical-report-5-does-possession-matter/)
4. [EURO Classics: Portugal 1-0 France, 2016, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/025e-0f9fdb15ba65-d27a2a1bb326-1000--classics-2016-final/)
5. [Francia, peor rival portugués, AS](https://as.com/futbol/2016/07/10/eurocopa/1468113601_311881.html)
6. [How Fernando Santos plotted Portugal's path to glory, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c1a804a6-33faeffb0726-1000--how-fernando-santos-plotted-portugal-s-path-to-glory/)
7. [Portugal victory is a triumph of resilience and a well-drilled defensive unit, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/jul/11/portugal-victory-resilience-fernando-santos-france-euro-2016-final)
8. [Portugal - France 1-0 after extra time, the final of Euro 2016, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2YnGW2nNZI)
9. [The year in review: UEFA EURO 2016 recapped, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/news/0253-0d81c31d1377-b1a68e0d315e-1000--the-year-in-review-uefa-euro-2016-recapped/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Individual matches and results › National-team and world cup finals*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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