Eight years have passed since Cristiano Ronaldo, with tears welling in his eyes, uttered the now-famous words, “No one believed in us. No one believed in Portugal.” He had just captained Portugal to victory at Euro 2016, securing his nation’s first-ever major international trophy and, remarkably, his own first and only one for his country to date. As Euro 2024 unfolds and the now 39-year-old Ronaldo prepares for Portugal’s Round of 16 match, it’s an opportune moment to revisit the improbable journey of Portugal’s Euro Cup 2016 win – a campaign riddled with near misses, bizarre incidents, and persistent doubts.
Indeed, leading up to and throughout Portugal Euro Cup 2016, few outside the Portuguese camp genuinely believed in their chances. This wasn’t the star-studded Portugal squad we see today, the kind where some pundits even question whether Ronaldo, despite his prolific scoring record, should start every game. Back in 2016, skepticism was rife, and for good reason.
The tournament began with Ronaldo’s now infamous microphone-throwing incident into a lake, triggered by a reporter’s line of questioning. On the pitch, Portugal’s opening match against Iceland saw frustration boil over as Ronaldo publicly criticized Iceland’s defensive approach as having a “small mentality,” condescendingly suggesting they “wouldn’t get anywhere.” Ironically, Iceland, the smallest nation ever to compete in a major tournament, with a population of just 330,000, would go on to defeat England and reach the quarter-finals, proving Ronaldo spectacularly wrong.
Cristiano Ronaldo's angry reaction after missing a penalty against Austria in Euro 2016 group stage.
The group stage woes continued. A missed penalty by Ronaldo against Austria in their second match resulted in another frustrating draw. Then, against Hungary, Portugal found themselves trailing three times, relying on Ronaldo to twice equalize and salvage a point in a thrilling 3-3 draw. Portugal limped through the group stage with three draws, qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams – a format introduced for the first time at Euro 2016, expanded to 24 teams.
Under the guidance of coach Fernando Santos, Portugal embarked on a knockout journey that was anything but straightforward. Statistically, Portugal’s path to victory was unconventional; they only won one of their seven matches in regulation time – the semi-final against Wales (2-0).
Their third-place group finish inadvertently placed them on the ‘weaker’ side of the knockout bracket, avoiding powerhouses like Spain, England, Germany, France, and Italy, who were all clustered on the other side. Yet, even this perceived advantage required dramatic interventions. Against Croatia in the Round of 16, Ricardo Quaresma scored a 117th-minute extra-time winner to scrape through. The quarter-final against Poland was another nail-biter, resolved only after a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw.
Cristiano Ronaldo consoling Joao Moutinho during the penalty shootout against Poland in Euro 2016 quarter-final.
The final against France provided the most dramatic twist of all. Just nine minutes into the game, a collision with Dimitri Payet forced Ronaldo off the pitch with a knee injury. His Euro 2016 final appeared to be over. However, despite his personal heartbreak, Ronaldo transformed into an emotional leader on the sidelines, passionately cheering, coaching, and agonizing with his teammates. The game remained goalless, heading into extra time. Then, in the 109th minute, substitute Eder, a player who had largely been on the fringes of the squad, stepped up to score a stunning long-range winner, sealing an improbable 1-0 victory for Portugal.
In the aftermath of the final whistle, all the earlier struggles and controversies faded into insignificance. “Very happy, very happy,” Ronaldo expressed to reporters, his voice thick with emotion. “It was something I tried for so many times since 2004, praying that I would get one more opportunity. The Portuguese people needed it and the players needed it.”
He continued, “It is one of the happiest moments of my career. I won so many things with my club, individually. I always said that I wanted to win a championship with the Portugal team, to make history, and I won.”
Looking back, Portugal Euro Cup 2016 stands as a testament to resilience, teamwork, and the unpredictable nature of football. It was a victory forged in adversity, a campaign where nothing came easy, and where belief, against all odds, ultimately triumphed. As Portugal and Ronaldo now aim for further glory at Euro 2024, the memory of that hard-fought and historic Portugal Euro Cup 2016 victory serves as both inspiration and a reminder that in football, just like in life, sometimes the most cherished triumphs are born from the most challenging journeys.
