Liverpool and Tottenham also banked more than 3 million euros ($3.24 million) from the UEFA fund of more than 150 million euros ($162 million).

UEFA says 641 European clubs from 54 countries were paid for providing players to national-team squads in qualifying matches and the tournament in France.

Real Madrid, which sent Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe to the title-winning Portugal squad, was sixth, receiving 2.5 million euros ($2.73 million). English clubs collected more than 38 million euros ($41 million), including several thousand to some semi-professional clubs.

Icelandic clubs earned 118,000 euros ($127,000).

UEFA says it aims to pay clubs 200 million euros ($216 million) from Euro 2020 income.

[relatedlinks]

France’s need to impose bans on alcohol sales near Euro 2016 venues because of unruly fans has aided Qatar as it seeks to balance respecting local customs with providing a welcoming environment for visitors to the first World Cup in the Middle East.

More than 60 members of Qatar’s World Cup organizing committee shadowed Euro 2016 organizers, including assistant secretary general Nasser Al-Khater, who said the disorder in France in June will influence the alcohol policy in 2022.

"The strange thing we saw, as soon as some of the violence picked up in France, the first thing people spoke about was banning alcohol around the stadiums 24 or 48 hours before the match and during the match," Al-Khater told The Associated Press on Thursday during a trip to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

"So that means there is a recognition that sometimes alcohol could relate to or encourage some sort of violence. So we need to take that into consideration to make sure the balance that we strike is right. And we want to make sure that Qatar in 2022 will be a violence free World Cup."

Alcohol is only available in off-street bars in Qatar to foreigners, who must show their passports. It is likely alcohol will be available more freely at the World Cup but Al-Khater said Qatar will implement the restrictions it believes are necessary "whatever the criticism might be."

Following the rampages in the opening days of Euro 2016, particularly involving England and Russia fans, Qatar’s fear is that their biggest-ever sporting event will be marred by violence.

"The issues that have been plaguing or dominating the headlines are violence so this is something we are taking a look at," Al-Khater said. "After what happened in France, there needs to be a review of all security measures."

Al-Khater was speaking a day before the Olympic opening ceremony as the progress of the torch relay was again disrupted by demonstrators. Civil disorder is less of a concern in a country with an absolute monarchy ruled by the al-Thani family.

"We don’t have a culture of demonstrations but we have culture where people voice their opinions and we see that a lot on social media," Al-Khater said. "Like any other country, Qatar has supporters of major sporting events and people who are also against it for whatever reason. … I am pretty sure we are not going to have a problem with demonstrations and protests."

To listen to the full interview, CLICK HERE

BEST GOAL
July 1: Wales 3, Belgium 1 in Lille
In the 13th minute, Belgium’s Radja Nainggolan cracked a shot from 30 yards out that nestled inside the top left corner.

BEST SAVE
June 27: Italy 2, Spain 0 in Saint-Denis
In the eighth minute, Italy’s Alessandro Florenzi played a dangerous ball into the box where Graziano Pelle connected on a header that seemed destined for the lower corner. Spain’s David de Gea did incredibly well to get down quickly and push it wide of the post. Shades of Gordon Banks’ save on Pele in 1970!

BEST GAME
June 22: Hungary 3, Portugal 3 in Lyon
What an unbelievable 90 minutes of breathless soccer—it will go down as one of the most memorable of the group stage in tournament history. To see Hungary go right at Portugal the way it did, and to see Cristiano Ronaldo and his cohorts come back from a goal down on three separate occasions—unreal!

BEST STORY
Iceland. On paper, their Round of 16 contest was a mis-match, with England’s gang of high-paid Premier League stars having the advantage over Iceland, who Cristiano Ronaldo previously said had a “small mentality,” and predicted “are not going to do anything in the competition.” Not only did Iceland beat England, they also showed you don’t need a team of super stars to go far in international tournaments.

BEST MOMENT
A reminder that sports can bring people together:

BEST CELEBRATION
Italian manager Antonio Conte goes nuts after Azzurri beat Spain:

BEST TWEET
Irish fans sure know how to let their hair down:

BEST QUOTE
“Throughout the tournament, we were as simple as doves, and wise as serpents.” – Fernando Santos, Portugal manager

BEST STAT

BEST TV COMMENTARY
June 27: England 1, Iceland 2 in Nice
This Icelandic commentator loses it after the final whistle:

WORST TV COMMENTARY
June 27: England 1, Iceland 2 in Nice
Epic fail by former England manager Steve McClaren. EPIC FAIL!

WORST MOMENT
June 17: Czech Republic 2, Croatia 2 in Saint-Etienne
With Croatia sitting on a 2-1 lead in the second half, flares flooded the Czech Republic’s end after Croatian supporters tossed them onto the pitch. While stewards raced to clear them away, a loud firecracker was also thrown onto the field while Croatian fans fought amongst themselves on the terraces, heightening the already uneasy tension inside the stadium. Play was halted for several minutes so that things could calm down, but the Croatian players were clearly rattled. The Czechs were in the ascendency after the disruption and Tomas Necid equalized in the 89th minute from the penalty spot after Domagoj Vida was penalized for a handball. Croatia coach Ante Cacic described the fans responsible as “sports terrorists.” Ugly scenes.

BIGGEST FLOP—TEAM
Austria. So many pundits had high hopes for them, what with so many of their top players plying their trades in the Premier League and Bundesliga. But the Austrians were so disappointing, losing two of their three games and only scoring one goal as they finished dead last in a winnable group with just one point.

BIGGEST FLOP—PLAYER
Thomas Muller. He had a poor tournament, failing to score in all six games—including that horrible miss in Germany’s shootout win over Italy in the quarterfinals. So much was expected of him, as he’s dominated previous international tournaments. He didn’t come close to delivering.

LASTING IMAGE
July 10: Portugal 1, France 0 in Saint-Denis
The sight of Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench as he encouraged his teammates in extra time of the final, and the way he was anxiously walking up and down the technical area, all the while carrying a heavy limp and clearly in physical agony, in the dying minutes will be among the lasting images of this tournament. Ronaldo’s mental and physical toughness has long come into question by his most vocal critics. Surely, he’s proved to them he’s as tough as they come.

https://twitter.com/FilthyFootball/status/752259279508348928

BEST PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT
Antoine Griezmann. Scored a tournament-high six goals, and put in a number of man-of-the-match efforts for France on its march towards the final. The Frenchman firmly established himself as one of the elite players on the planet.

BEST XI OF THE TOURNAMENT (4-3-3 FORMATION)
• Goalkeeper: Rui Patrico (Portugal).
• Defenders: Joshua Kimmich (Germany), Leonardo Bonucci (Italy), Pepe (Portugal), Jerome Boateng (Germany).
• Midfielders: Toni Kroos (Germany), Raphael Guerreiro (Portugal), Blaise Matuidi (France).
• Forwards: Gareth Bale (Wales), Dimitri Payet (France), Antoine Griezmann (France).
• Manager: Antonio Conte (Italy).

Sportsnet’s Soccer Central podcast (featuring Thomas Dobby, Brendan Dunlop, John Molinaro and James Sharman) takes an in-depth look at the beautiful game and offers timely and thoughtful analysis on the sport’s biggest issues.

Listen now | iTunes | Podcatchers

To listen to the full interview, CLICK HERE

Stretched security forces, already deployed at sensitive sites around France, were called into action to help ensure a safe tournament that authorities decided to go ahead with despite two waves of attacks in 2015, including November shootings and bombings of multiple sites in Paris that killed 130.

Critical voices tried to nix fan zones in each of the 10 French cities where 51 matches were held, considering them a security nightmare. Authorities refused, and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said Monday that "we were right."

Keeping France safe during Euro 2016 took a 90,000-strong security force, including 30,000 from the private sector. Meticulous advance and day-to-day organization with intelligence, police services in France and Europe, and with soccer authorities, was necessary.

"Despite the context of a very high threat, Euro 2016, thanks to the organization of everyone, was a success," Cazeneuve said.

There were incidents at the start of the events, when hooligans threatened to unravel planning, and a hiccup at the end with clashes between police and small groups of troublemakers under the Eiffel Tower near the Paris fan zone.

The Eiffel Tower was closed Monday following the confrontations that damaged the ground below the mammoth structure, including steel barriers, benches and some shops, according to the company that runs the monument.

But for officials that didn’t detract from the security success story, nor did the clashes with hooligans in Marseille surrounding the England-Russia match.

The success will only be complete when the Tour de France ends on July 24.

Cazeneuve called the hooligan violence "the only major incident" during Euro 2016, but said the firm hand of security forces, including expulsions of troublemakers from France, ensured that such melees were snuffed out. Dozens of fans and police were injured in the Old Port section of Marseille.

Police moved into action at the start of Sunday night’s final, using tear gas and water cannons in confrontations with people upset that the fan zone not far from the Eiffel Tower was full and closed. Trash cans and scooters were set alight, with firefighters extinguishing the blazes, police said Sunday.

About 40 arrests were made in the area and around the Stade de France, police said Monday.

The stadium was a target of the Paris attacks along with a concert hall and bars and restaurants. An earlier wave of attacks in Paris, in January 2015, killed 17.

For Euro 2016 final, when France lost 1-0 to Portugal, there were 1,900 police in the Paris fan zone. Thousands more were deployed on the famed Champs-Elysees, used for victory parades.

The work of intelligence services led to the arrests of 150 people for terrorism-linked activities since the start of the year, the interior minister said Monday, "so we could live the Euro in good conditions."

A system was set up to keep watch on the competition with a crisis centre inside the Interior Ministry working around the clock throughout the competition, European experts of countries playing brought in and a French risk analysis unit of intelligence services inside and outside France, Cazeneuve said.

"The eyes of the world were trained on France," Cazeneuve said, providing a summing up of the security aspect of the competition. He praised co-operation between multiple services, with UEFA and the vigilance of security forces.

A total of 1,555 were detained during the tournament, with 59 convicted with firm or suspended prison sentences, the minister said, adding that 64 people were expelled and 32 banned from entering France.

But "the terrorist threat remains," the minister warned, "obliging us each day to rise above ourselves."

The Tour de France is providing another security challenge, along with the start this week of summer vacations in France. The Tour de France alone is being protected by 23,000 police and gendarmes.

Cazeneuve took a stab at critics who "raised doubts about the capacity of our country to organize such an event in a particularly high terrorist-threat risk context." Some politicians had said there should be no fan zones.

"We were right to maintain fan zones, which allowed us to canalize thousands of supporters" and maintain a high concentration of surveillance, he said.

Dozens of airport staff gathered on the tarmac to cheer on the players as they arrived from France just after midday Monday.

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo and coach Fernando Santos held the cup up to great cheers on stepping out of the plane.

Thousands of people packed the streets around the airport to greet the team, which travelled in an open-topped, double-decker bus to the Belem presidential palace to meet Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

They were later to begin a parade through the city.

Portugal beat France 1-0 in extra time on Sunday in the final in Paris.

It’s behind us. It’s over. Thankfully?

If nothing else it will be remembered as an odd tournament with a ‘clunky’ format, some engaging fairytales, a lack of goals, a sprinkling of drama, and a Portuguese team that forced us to reconsider our view of them, what they are or what we thought they were supposed to be.

Here are my thoughts on Sunday’s final

• Historically, Euro has been a strange tournament. Denmark and Greece were crowned champions, but so too were legendary sides such as France and Spain. Portugal? They will join Denmark and Greece as shocking winners, but still deserved winners.

• Of course Portugal played some dreadful soccer for much of the last month, and by that I am only referring to their strategy. The fact is they stuck to their strategy superbly, willing to kill off any enjoyment of the game, comfortable in the knowledge that as long as the end justifies the means who cares about the spectacle.

• I don’t blame Portugal for this at all; it is what International football has become. I really don’t know what the answer is in terms of fixing it, but expanding these tournaments to 24 and then 32 teams certainly is not the answer.

• Over the years I have been harsh on Cristiano Ronaldo, while always respecting his talent. Even I felt for him when he was taken off in the first half. Seeing CR7 trying to muscle through it was excruciating, and I hope even his biggest critics can admit that to call Ronaldo ‘soft’ is a glaring misjudgment.

• I assumed that would be it, there goes any chance they had to win this thing, but for some reason France refused to take it to Portugal. Perhaps this was because it was actually easier for Portugal to play their favoured way, and go all-out defence, but the bottom line is France let itself down.

• I will be asked this many times over the next few days, but no, winning Euro doesn’t change Ronaldo’s legacy or his position in the bastion of all-time greats. It is subjective of course, but regardless of what happened on Sunday he is one of the greats.

• Pepe won significant points throughout the tournament for his brilliant defending, and the fact that he didn’t ruin it with his usual jamesantics. I almost began to like him. I am sure within a few weeks of La Liga commencing the old Pepe will return though.

• Euro began with some wonder goals, and overall the quality of goals scored was of a very high level, but let’s all be honest—this was not a very good tournament. There were awful matches and some very average teams. However, Portugal and its passionate fan base should enjoy it—they did it better than anyone else, and if England was able to win a Cup playing that way, I would gratefully take it.

Sportsnet’s Soccer Central podcast (featuring Thomas Dobby, Brendan Dunlop, John Molinaro and James Sharman) takes an in-depth look at the beautiful game and offers timely and thoughtful analysis on the sport’s biggest issues.

Listen now | iTunes | Podcatchers

THE RESULT
• Match report: Portugal 1, France 0 in Saint-Denis || Match stats

THOUGHTS ON THE DAY
Portugal deserved champions of Europe: The statistics don’t necessarily paint a favourable portrait of Portugal’s historical European Championship victory. The Portuguese went undefeated in the competition, but were ahead for only 73 minutes of the 720 minutes they played in France. They never won a group stage game, qualifying for the knockout round as a third-place team, and they only won one of their seven matches in regulation time. What’s more, Portugal’s cautious tactics didn’t exactly win over neutral fans—where was the attacking, swashbuckling brand of soccer we’ve come to expect from them? Portugal’s win over France in Sunday’s final left a sour taste in a lot of mouths of critics who felt they not only didn’t deserve to win the tournament, but that they were also incredibly lucky to do so.

Here’s the thing, though: You don’t fluke your way to winning an international tournament such as the European Championship. You simply don’t. You don’t survive a tough group that included Hungary and Iceland, you don’t beat teams the calibre of Croatia and Poland, and you don’t best a nation in Wales that had a great deal of momentum behind it strictly with luck. As far as that old chestnut about how Portugal wouldn’t have even qualified for the second round under the old Euro format, that’s a facile argument. Who cares? They won this tournament. That’s all the matters. One win in 90 minutes? Who cares? Did I miss the memo that says victories earned in extra time or in a shootout don’t count the same?

Ultimately, skill, tournament management, and execution of a clear game plan were the major reasons why the Portuguese were crowned kings of Europe.

Full credit must be given to manager Fernando Santos for setting up a tactical system in which his players thrived. He not only changed the way Portugal has historically played, but he also managed to squeeze every ounce of talent out a side that was hardly the most talented at this tournament. Portugal a one-man team that relies on Cristiano Ronaldo to carry them? That argument has been put to bed, hasn’t it? Ronaldo had his moments in France, but he was hardly the dominant player we’ve witnessed over his career. It says so much about this team’s character that it was able to carry on and beat the host nation without their captain and talisman.

Say what you will about how Portugal played—it wasn’t especially attractive or adventurous, but it was pretty effective. Led by the commanding Pepe, Portugal proved to be very well organized and incredibly tough for opponents to break down. They were also the most consistent side in the completion—they were never out of any game, and always managed to get a result. That’s what teams do. That’s what champions do. You don’t have to like way Portugal did it. But you have to give them their due—they earned it.

Ronaldo’s legacy enhanced: Tears of sadness turned into tears of joy for Cristiano Ronaldo in the space of two hours on Sunday. The Real Madrid star crashed to the pitch in a heap after being clattered into by Dimitri Payet. The knee-on-knee collision reduced Ronaldo to tears as he originally limped off the pitch. Portugal’s medical staff bandaged his knee up, and he returned to the game for a few minutes, but the pain was just too much. He was stretchered off in the 24th minute, forcing Portugal to play the majority of the game without its captain and best player. Ronaldo was crying after the final whistle, but this time his emotions got the better of him for an entirely different reason, as his country won its first major international tournament at senior level, something the much-heralded “Golden Generation” of Luis Figo and Rui Costa never delivered.

https://twitter.com/CauldronICYMI/status/752222775469891584

Even though Portugal won this game without Ronaldo, his legacy was still enhanced, his reputation boosted by what took place on Sunday. No doubt had he scored the winner in dramatic fashion that it would have done wonders for his status as one of the greatest players of all time.

But there was something far more compelling, far more human about the way he tried to fight through the pain, the way he tried to carry on, and the way he asked to be subbed out (knowing he’d be a burden rather than a help) than any piece of skill he could have produced on the pitch. The sight of him on the bench as he encouraged his teammates in extra time, and the way he was anxiously walking up and down the technical area, all the while carrying a heavy limp and clearly in physical agony, in the dying minutes will be among the lasting images of this tournament. Ronaldo’s mental and physical toughness has long come into question by his most vocal critics. Surely, he’s proved to them he’s as tough as they come.

THE GOAL
In the 109th minute, Eder took a pass and that went on a bit of a run while fighting off a couple of challenges before hitting a low shot from 25 yards out that beat French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

SAVE OF THE DAY
In the 10th minute, Dimitri Payet played a ball on for Antoine Griezmann. The Atletico Madrid forward directed a looping header towards goal that Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio tipped over the crossbar with a stunning one-handed save.

BEST MOMENT OF THE DAY
https://twitter.com/FilthyFootball/status/752259279508348928

TWEET OF THE DAY

THE GAME WITHIN THE GAME

SIX PACK OF STATS
• Portugal is the 10th different nation to win the European Championship.
• Cristiano Ronaldo made just eight touches on the ball before being subbed out of Sunday’s final.
• Eder is the sixth substitute to score in a Euro final, along with Oliver Bierhoff, Sylvain Wiltord, David Trezeguet, Juan Mata and Fernando Torres.
• This was the sixth Euro final to go to extra time, but the first to end goalless after 90 minutes.
• Ronaldo is the first player to start in a second Euro final more than four years after his first (12 years—2004 and 2016).
• Portugal’s Renato Sanches (at 18 years and 326 days) is the youngest player to appear in a Euro final.
Stats courtesy of Opta

BURNING QUESTION

3 STARS
1) Rui Patricio, Portugal: The veteran goalkeeper made a number of smart and important saves to keep Portugal in the game.
2) Pepe, Portugal: Another outstanding effort from the defender who anchored a Portuguese back line that thwarted the hosts.
3) Eder, Portugal: Entered the match in the 79th minute, and scored the winner in extra time.

TOURNAMENT SO FAR
•Matchday 1 recap: Magnificent Payet rescues France || Typical Giroud performance
•Matchday 2 recap: England gets what it deserves || Bale already proving his worth for Wales
•Matchday 3 recap: Modric pure magic for Croatia || Germany’s Goetze not a false 9
•Matchday 4 recap: Spain’s resolve sees them through || Italy’s experience the difference
•Matchday 5 recap: Portugal blows it || The hoopla over Kiraly’s pants
•Matchday 6 recap: It can be a cruel game at times || What was Deschamps thinking?
•Matchday 7 recap: English relief after beating Wales || You gotta love Northern Ireland
•Matchday 8 recap: Spain sends a message
•Matchday 9 recap: Ronaldo cuts a distraught figure
•Matchday 10 recap: Albania has held its own || In defence of Ronaldo
•Matchday 11 recap: Slim margins could doom England || What is England? Does Hodgson know?
•Matchday 12 recap: Croatia turns tournament on its head ||
•Matchday 13 recap: Ronaldo is just trolling us || England should fear Iceland
•Matchday 14 recap: A day to completely forget in France || Shaqiri’s strike can’t save the day
•Matchday 15 recap: Irish adversity best thing for France
•Matchday 16 recap: Buffon’s ‘Zoff moment’ for Italy || So, what’s next for Italy?
•Matchday 17 recap: Not pretty, but Portugal grinds it out
•Matchday 18 recap: Wales much more than just Gareth Bale
•Matchday 19 recap: Italy leaves with heads held high
•Matchday 20 recap: Shades of 1998 World Cup for France || France simply too much for Iceland
•Matchday 21 recap: Portugal’s fight for respect continues || Portugal the new grind-masters
•Matchday 22 recap: Griezmann among the best in the world || France goys from boys to men

Sportsnet’s Soccer Central podcast (featuring Thomas Dobby, Brendan Dunlop, John Molinaro and James Sharman) takes an in-depth look at the beautiful game and offers timely and thoughtful analysis on the sport’s biggest issues.

Listen now | iTunes | Podcatchers

After losing in heartbreaking fashion in the Euro 2004 final at home to Greece, Portugal exorcised those demons by shutting down the host nation 12 years later.

https://twitter.com/NickQuantrill/status/752254398512959490

https://twitter.com/STATS_Football/status/752254339431985152

Portugal just won Euro 2016. I was at the Seixeiro compound. My phone was set on record.

A video posted by @sid_seixeiro on Jul 10, 2016 at 2:47pm PDT

https://twitter.com/RichardBuxton_/status/752256491063742465

As expected, the never-ending Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo debate was reignited after the latter claimed his first international trophy. Based on the reaction from fans and media, Ronaldo seems to be pulling ahead.

https://twitter.com/ChocMilkSheikh/status/752256711084404736

https://twitter.com/TheMasterBucks/status/752257708175142912

https://twitter.com/_PrinceSalad/status/752258646344540160

Both players will go down as two of the greatest of all-time, but the summer of 2016 will forever be remembered as Ronaldo’s crowning moment.

The Portuguese had to win their first major trophy the hard way, stunning host France in the European Championship final after playing without Ronaldo from the 25th minute through extra time on Sunday.

Two hours after being carried off injured with the 1-0 victory secured by his battling teammates, the three-time world player of the year returned a champion for the first time with his country.

"I had bad luck because I had a small injury in the beginning of the game, but my colleagues did their part — they run, they fight," said Ronaldo, who has already won every major club honour. "Nobody believed in Portugal but we won".

An unlikely scorer secured the pre-tournament outsiders a title at last.

It could be an uncomfortable few months ahead for Eder, the unheralded striker who will return shortly to French club Lille after breaking French hearts with his 109th-minute goal.

"The ugly duckling became beautiful," Portugal coach Fernando Santos said.

A second-half substitute, Eder scored only his fourth goal in 29 appearances for Portugal with a low shot from 25 metres (yards) past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

"Cristiano told me I would be scoring the winning goal," Eder said. "He gave me strength and positive energy."

In doing so, Portugal denied the French a third final victory on home soil to add to Euro ’84 and the 1998 World Cup.

"Football can be very cruel," said Lloris, France’s captain. "The overriding emotion is a lot of sadness."

Twelve years after losing to Greece on home soil in their last appearance in the final, it was Portugal’s turn to spoil the host nation’s party. And they achieved it after winning only one of their seven games at Euro 2016 inside 90 minutes, and after losing the inspirational Ronaldo midway through the first half.

"It was tough because we lost our main man and we had all our hopes pinned on him because he’s a player who can score a goal at any minute," Portugal defender Pepe said. "When he said he couldn’t go on, I tried to tell my teammates that we have to win it for him. That we were going to fight for him."

It was a mostly dull and stodgy final but the record books will only show that Portugal went from third-place in its group to champion, and with little help from Ronaldo in its last match.

The championship’s first 24-team tournament became a reality over the last month, but the quality of football deteriorated. Such a sterile showpiece — the first European Championship final to be scoreless after 90 minutes — seemed a fitting climax.

"We weren’t clinical enough," said France coach Didier Deschamps who lifted the World Cup in the stadium as a player in 1998. "We weren’t cool-headed enough."

Even France forward Antoine Griezmann, the tournament’s leading scorer, couldn’t rise to the big occasion. There was no seventh goal of Euro 2016 from the Atletico Madrid forward, who also lost out in the Champions League final six weeks ago to Ronaldo’s Real Madrid.

Griezmann was the first player to find the target, but his header was tipped over by Rui Patricio, who was formidable in the Portugal goal. When an inviting cross from Kingsley Coman was delivered in the 66th, Griezmann missed with a free header.

Only once was Patricio beaten, when Andre-Pierre Gignac’s shot hit the inside of the post but it came back out.

Luck was on Portugal’s side, and Eder was able to strike the decisive blow.

It didn’t seem to be going Portugal’s way in the ninth minute when Dimitri Payet’s right knee clattered into Ronaldo’s standing left leg.

Ronaldo went down in agony — writhing, grimacing and screaming. He was able to return, but this was one injury he could not run off.

Ronaldo fell to the turf again in the 17th. One of the moths infesting the national stadium fluttered over Ronaldo’s tearful right eye. Teammates tried to help in vain to help, with Nani tending to the knee.

Ronaldo watched the game forlornly on the touchline as strapping was attached before dragging himself back onto the field.

But Ronaldo’s mobility was restricted. Battling through the pain, regularly reaching down to check on the injury, Ronaldo realized there would be no miracle recovery.

The clock hit 23 minutes and Ronaldo ripped off his captain’s armband and tossed it on the turf. Slumping to the ground again, Ronaldo was consoled by Nani, who embraced his former Manchester United teammate as the armband was transferred.

The stretcher came on and in the 25th minute Ronaldo became a spectator. But thanks to Patricio’s array of saves and dogged defending, Ronaldo left a champion.

Unlike his great rival Lionel Messi, the Argentina and Barcelona forward, the 31-year-old Ronaldo has now filled the medal void on the major international stage. It’s a rapid turnaround for a national team that exited the 2014 World Cup in the group stage.

"It’s something unbelievable in my career," Ronaldo said. "Something I deserve."

Hobbled by a tackle from France’s Dimitri Payet in the ninth minute, the Portugal star struggled on after bouts of treatment on his injured left knee until he accepted the inevitable — that his game was over.

https://twitter.com/CauldronICYMI/status/752222775469891584

Ronaldo exited the Stade de France pitch on a stretcher in the 25th minute with his hands covering his face to hide the tears beneath.

The three-time world player of the year left his Portugal teammates to try to secure their first major tournament title.

Now aged 31, Ronaldo might not have a better — or even another — chance.

Ronaldo was perhaps the victim of his own over-confidence and nonchalance as Payet charged in to challenge.

Standing still with his right foot hovering over the ball in midfield, Ronaldo struck a teasing pose as if to taunt Payet about what he planned to do next.

When Ronaldo finally passed the ball away, his weight was on his standing left leg that took the force of the Frenchman’s tackle. Payet’s right knee bumped hard into Ronaldo’s left knee, and the pain was immediately obvious.

Ronaldo tried to run off the injury, but repeatedly reached down with his right and left hands to gently press his knee.

The Portugal team doctors treated him once on the sidelines, then bandaged the knee to give greater support.

Still, Ronaldo never looked comfortable and with 23 minutes on the clock, he raised an arm to signal to Portugal coach Fernando Santos that he could not continue.

As Ronaldo was carried off on a stretcher by four stadium staff, first Santos then France coach Didier Deschamps came across and reached down to offer consoling pats with his hand.

At Euro 2004, a teenaged Ronaldo cried on the field in Lisbon after the host Portuguese team lost 1-0 to Greece.

He left his team behind to pull off a similar upset against favoured France on Sunday.


• France plays Portugal in Sunday’s final from Saint-Denis starting at 3:00 pm ET.


Check out our live game tracker below!

SPORTSNET’S LIVE EURO 2016 GAME TRACKER

Molinaro also offers his view that even if Portugal loses it won’t affect Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy-that he’ll still be considered one of the greatest players of all time.

To listen to the full interview, CLICK HERE.

Quaresma revealed a new cut at training on Saturday — a peroxide feather design, standing out on the left side of his otherwise shaven head.

Portugal coach Fernando Santos laughed when asked about the crop at a news conference at Stade de France on Sataurday

"It’s amazing," Santos said. "I congratulated him on it when I saw it. It’s a work of art."

Quaresma has been a substitute for most of Euro 2016, yet was decisive in two knockout games.

The 32-year-old forward scored the extra-time goal to beat Croatia 1-0 in the round of 16, and then converted the final penalty in the shootout after a 1-1 draw against Poland in the quarterfinals.

MORE ON EURO 2016: Sportsnet has you covered with in-depth coverage of Euro 2016 in France, which runs from June 10 to July 10.

• Match schedule || Group standings || Live scoreboard || Latest news

• Profiles: All 24 teams || History of Euro || Top 10 moments in Euro history

• Sportsnet’s predictions || 10 players to watch || 5 key group stage games

• Feature stories || Soccer Central podcast || Team roster lists ||

"I feel great. I’m fully fit and can be chosen to play," Pepe said at a news conference on Saturday at the Stade de France.

The tough Real Madrid defender sat out a 2-0 win in the semifinals against Wales because of a thigh muscle injury.

The decision paid off for coach Fernando Santos not to risk his defensive leader against a Welsh attack that lacked the options France possesses.

Griezmann is the clearest danger to Portugal, with his six-goal tally at Euro 2016 double that of any player, including Cristiano Ronaldo, who has three.

Pepe and Ronaldo already got the better of Griezmann in a major final six weeks ago, when their Real Madrid team beat city rival Atletico in the Champions League final. Ronaldo scored the decisive penalty in a shootout after a 1-1 draw, and Griezmann missed a spot-kick when Atletico trailed 1-0 in the second half.

"I’ve played against Griezmann several times in Spain," Pepe said through a translator. "He’s not very tall, but he’s very good at figuring out where the ball might be. It’s important not to focus on one player, but France as a team."

Though Pepe has two Champions League titles with Madrid, he acknowledged that Sunday’s game is the most important of his career.

"Yes, because I’m representing my people, my country. We want to write our names in history," the 33-year-old defender said.

Portugal seemed far away from the final when failing to win a group-stage game, and trailed three times against Hungary before salvaging a third straight draw.

Santos then began selecting Southampton defenders Jose Fonte and Cedric Soares, leaving Pepe to lead a reshaped line that helped Portugal win tightly-contested knockout games against Croatia and Poland.

This rugged, hard-to-beat style recalls Greece’s surprise run to win Euro 2004 and beat the more attacking host Portuguese team in the final. Now Portugal is in a reversed role against a more flamboyant French side.

"I would like that," Pepe said when asked if history could repeat itself. "That would be amazing but one thing has nothing to do with another. Twelve years have gone by and tomorrow is a totally different thing."

Pepe has seemed on his best behaviour at Euro 2016, cutting out the hard fouls that helped make his reputation and the play-acting simulation that angered many watchers of the recent Champions League final.

The referee that May night in Milan, Mark Clattenburg of England, will have the whistle again on Sunday.

"I think this referee may be among the best two or three referees in the world," Pepe said. "It’s recognition of his work and his quality as a professional referee. I hope everyone has an easy night and that they can work peacefully."

Security forces have three key venues to protect when France plays Portugal: The Stade de France stadium hosting the final — outside of which three suicide bombers blew themselves up last year, the 92,000-capacity fan zone in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, and the Champs-Elysees boulevard, which will likely be swamped with fans after the match.

Mathias Vicherat, the Paris Mayor’s chief of staff, said some 1,900 police and other security officers would patrol the fan zone, while the city’s police chief, Michel Cadot, said 3,400 officers would patrol the Champs-Elysees, some of them redeployed from the stadium and fan zone after the final kicks off.

"We have the extremely favourable ratio of one officer for fewer than 50 spectators" in the fenced-off fan area where supporters can watch the match on a giant screen, Vicherat said. "So it is an extremely high standard."

Security forces have already successfully protected a total of 11 matches at the Stade de France and Paris stadium the Parc des Princes, including the tournament’s opening match, but the final is expected to draw the biggest crowds as France aims to win its third European title by beating Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.

Troops have been patrolling the streets of Paris for months in the aftermath of two deadly attacks by Islamic extremists last year. As Portugal and France fans wandered along the Champs-Elysees on Saturday they passed army trucks and submachine gun-toting troops.

Cadot said that the extreme security levels are in place because Paris is still under "a general terrorist threat."

He also ruled out using the Champs-Elysees as a venue for honouring the French team on Monday if it wins the tournament, saying that the wide, tree-lined street has to be prepared for an annual military parade to mark the French national holiday of Bastille Day on July 14.

Meticulous security preparations began long before the tournament and included an exercise in March in which officials simulated an attack involving a chemical bomb at an open-air screening of a match, with thousands of spectators.

France has mobilized some 90,000 security agents around stadiums, fan zones and streets to keep fans safe. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has also kept his ministry’s crisis room open throughout the tournament to help monitor events and co-ordinate responses should action be necessary.

The work has paid off so far.

On the eve of the final, tournament organizer UEFA paid tribute to the work of the French security forces in the 50 matches played in 10 host cities leading up to the final.

"We owe a great debt of thanks to the French people, to the French president, Francois Hollande, to the French government, the host cities, and the French police and armed forces, who have done such a marvelous job of ensuring the safety of the millions of fans who have come from all over Europe to attend this tournament," UEFA senior vice-president Angel Maria Villar said Saturday.

Matches early in the June 10-July 10 tournament, most notably the 1-1 draw between England and Russia in Marseille, were marred by hooligan violence, but there have been no other major security problems at the a tournament.

"France has achieved something quite remarkable, delivering one of the world’s biggest sporting events in very challenging circumstances," Villar said. "France has shown that adversity can be overcome. It has shown the world how to stand tall."

MORE ON EURO 2016: Sportsnet has you covered with in-depth coverage of Euro 2016 in France, which runs from June 10 to July 10.

• Match schedule || Group standings || Live scoreboard || Latest news

• Profiles: All 24 teams || History of Euro || Top 10 moments in Euro history

• Sportsnet’s predictions || 10 players to watch || 5 key group stage games

• Feature stories || Soccer Central podcast || Team roster lists ||

The UEFA executive committee decided Saturday to create a three-member compensation panel to "oversee matters linked to remuneration" of senior management, including the president and general secretary.

The move toward financial openness follows world football body FIFA, which revealed in March that former president Sepp Blatter was paid a basic salary of $3 million in 2015. In previous years, Blatter more than doubled his salary with bonuses from World Cup profits.

UEFA said in a statement that "detailed information will be disclosed" in the annual accounts published in March.

Both top UEFA posts are formally vacant after outgoing president Michel Platini was banned by FIFA and former general secretary Gianni Infantino was elected FIFA president in February. Infantino is currently working without a contract after rejecting a $2 million salary offer from FIFA’s compensation panel.

UEFA never revealed Platini’s salary, or stipends and expenses that the 17 members of its executive panel receive. FIFA executive committee members are paid a $300,000 annual stipend, plus expenses.

UEFA includes salary costs in a broader "governing expenses" amount of 72.6 million euros ($80.2 million) in the 2014-15 financial accounts.

The 55 national member federations of UEFA will elect a new president to replace Platini on Sept. 14 in Athens.

The front-runner ahead of a July 20 deadline to enter the contest appears to be Aleksander Ceferin, a lawyer who has been president of the Slovenia football federation since 2011.

UEFA’s interim general secretary is Theodore Theodoridis, the long-time deputy to Infantino, who joined the Switzerland-based governing body from the Greece football federation.

UEFA said its pay oversight panel will include its finance committee chairman, currently Marios Lefkaritis of Cyprus, a member of its governance and compliance committee, and an independent financial expert.

A Selecao have been underwhelming during their drive towards their first Euro final since 2004, claiming just one victory within 90 minutes and extending a stretch of mediocrity that has seen them record just seven victories over their past 14 contests heading into Sunday afternoon’s France vs. Portugal betting matchup at Stade de France.

Portugal’s dormant offence finally showed signs of life in its victory over Wales, sealing the win with a pair of quick goals early in the second half after getting outshot and out-possessed by the speedy Dragons during the first 45 minutes.

With each of its three group stage matches ending in a draw Portugal managed to back into the knockout stage, where they enjoyed a favourable seeding in a weak bracket that featured just one pre-tournament favourite, Belgium, who were sent packing following a stunning 3-1 loss to Wales.

The squad’s recent stretch of matches not decided in regulation time is reflected on the three-way odds in Sunday’s contest, with a draw pegged as a +210 bet.

While its advancement to the final continues a trend of success in six previous Euro appearances, Portugal must now confront a French side seeking to win their second European championship title on home turf.

France entered this year’s tournament atop the Euro 2016 futures as +300 chalk and have not disappointed, powering to a first-place finish in Group A before picking up knockout stage wins over Ireland and Iceland.

Les Bleus then passed their biggest test of the tournament, knocking off Germany in the semifinal by a 2-0 score despite being largely dominated by the defending World Cup champions. They are now unbeaten in 17 of their past 18 international tournament matches played on French soil.

France has also dominated Portugal on the pitch for more than a generation, winning in 10 straight meetings since 1975, including three international tournament wins, further fueling their strong -225 odds of winning their third-ever Euro crown and solid even-money odds of ending Portugal’s dream inside 90 minutes.

But Les Bleus will have to penetrate a stingy Portuguese defence that has allowed more than one goal in a game just once in their past 18 outings, a trend that has put downward pressure on a goal total currently pegged at 2 with the UNDER sporting -115 odds.

Sportsnet’s Soccer Central podcast (featuring Thomas Dobby, Brendan Dunlop, John Molinaro and James Sharman) takes an in-depth look at the beautiful game and offers timely and thoughtful analysis on the sport’s biggest issues.

Listen now | iTunes | Podcatchers

France is a country that does mass healing better than any other, usually marked by a scene of red, white and blue, as well as singing—lots and lots of singing. That was the case in Marseille when Les Bleus made the final of Euro 2016 by beating world champions Germany. La Revolution, indeed.

The sight of the Stade Velodrome united in jubilation wasn’t quite as breathtaking as the one witnessed after France’s World Cup triumph in 1998, when over a million people took to the streets of Paris to greet their champions, but it wasn’t far away. That triumph was about more than just sport, and another French victory on Sunday would similarly transcend soccer.

This European Championship, just like the 1998 World Cup, has been played against the backdrop of societal unrest. The circumstances are of course very different, but nonetheless, this French team has more than just sporting expectations heaped on their shoulders. They are charged with lifting an entire nation.

MORE ON EURO 2016: Sportsnet has you covered with in-depth coverage of Euro 2016 in France, which runs from June 10 to July 10.

• Match schedule || Group standings || Live scoreboard || Latest news
• Profiles: All 24 teams || History of Euro || Top 10 moments in Euro history
• Sportsnet’s predictions || 10 players to watch || 5 key group stage games

It’s not just their country that Didier Deschamps’ side is spiritually carrying. Europe is a continent in turmoil at present, with governments debating and voting on whether to tear themselves apart from one another. Euro 2016 has been a tournament of escapism, and France has become the team of the escapists.

Host nations are often the favourites of the neutral, especially when it’s France—the land of flair, panache and romance. Unless you’re Portuguese it’s probably safe to say that those without a horse in the race will join the thousands at the Stade de France in waving a tricolore. For the first time in a while, Europe might enjoy some sense of unity on Sunday.

Euro 2016 has been the most political of tournaments: from England fans’ Brexit-inspired chants in Marseille, to the Croatia support’s pyrotechnic protest against their own football association. And then there’s the lingering impact of the atrocious terror attacks in Paris last November. Security was beefed up at Euro 2016, as it has been across the continent for the past few months. A sense of unease has refused to shift throughout this tournament.

It’s a scenario the likes of which France is perhaps accustomed to more than most. Back in 1998 Aime Jacquet’s French team was the subject of political scrutiny, with the country’s far right political parties’ opposing the diversity of his squad for the World Cup. Eighteen years ago, France was a country divided and uncertain of its prevailing direction.

But the glory of France’s World Cup win unified a country in desperate need of unification. Jean-Marie Le Pen and his followers were marginalised by the cultural awakening enjoyed over the summer of 1998. The hope is that a win for France over Portugal this weekend would restore a sense of self-confidence to a nation still somewhat unsure of itself after the events of the past year.

Yet there is consistently comfort for France on home soil. They have won the last two major tournaments they have hosted (the 1984 European Championship and the 1998 World Cup), and now they have the chance to make it a hat trick of home soil glories against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal on Sunday.

Deschamps is the figure that spans both generations. He was captain of the French team that won the World Cup in 1998, and now he is the national team’s manager, leading them to Euro 2016’s final. Perhaps only Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini (before he became European soccer’s pantomime villain as UEFA president) would rank above him in the pantheon of French legends.

This tournament needs a happy ending. Never before has the European Championship been preceded by more apprehension than anticipation. Some of that could be dispelled by what happens in Saint-Denis on Sunday. Euro 2016 has borne a number of uplifting plot lines (Iceland’s maybe the most up-lifting) and the final needs another one.

A million revellers might not take to the Parisian streets in the event of another French win on Sunday, but this tournament has succeeded by capturing in some form a semblance of what made the 1998 World Cup so special.

Sportsnet’s Soccer Central podcast (featuring Thomas Dobby, Brendan Dunlop, John Molinaro and James Sharman) takes an in-depth look at the beautiful game and offers timely and thoughtful analysis on the sport’s biggest issues.

Listen now | iTunes | Podcatchers

Though now cleared of suspicion, Sakho served a provisional ban which led to him missing selection for the European Championship and sidelined him for the Europa League final.

UEFA says its disciplinary panel dismissed a case it opened after Sakho failed a doping control at a Europa League round of 16 match against Manchester United in March.

UEFA never confirmed details of the possible doping violation.

UEFA says it dismissed the case after the hearing that involved experts from World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratories.

UEFA’s projected tournament finances published Friday showed total revenue of 1.93 billion euros ($2.13 billion) for the expanded 24-team tournament.

"The numbers are positive," UEFA interim general secretary Theodore Theodoridis said at a news conference, adding that a larger event "was a big success."

Revenue is forecast to rise by 34 per cent — earned from 20 extra matches — over Euro 2012, which had 16 teams and 31 matches played in Poland and Ukraine.

Four years ago, UEFA’s profit was 593.7 million euros (then $724 million) from its most lucrative competition, according to its financial accounts for that year.

UEFA leaders, including Theodoridis and senior vice-president Angel Maria Villar, praised Michel Platini, the European football body’s outgoing president who will serve a FIFA ban from official duty until 2019.

Platini’s pledge to add eight more teams to the tournament was key to him being elected in 2007, and he worked in 2010 with Nicolas Sarkozy, then president of France, to help its hosting bid beat Turkey in a 7-6 vote of UEFA executive committee members.

"France’s hosting of UEFA Euro 2016 is down to one man: Michel Platini," Villar said at the briefing at Stade de France, where the home nation plays Portugal in the final on Sunday. "Michel can be proud, very proud, of his Euro."

Still, UEFA does not expect Platini to accept its invitation to attend the match.

Platini’s tournament legacy includes letting UEFA bank 230 million euros ($254 million) from Euro 2016 to cover its own running costs for the next four years.

UEFA’s profit will also provide 600 million euros ($663 million) for its 55 member federations for development projects over the next four years.

The money was earned by: Broadcast rights of just over 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion); sponsorship and licensing deals worth 480 million euros ($530 million); and sales of tickets and hospitality earning 400 million euros ($441 million).

Spending by UEFA on Euro 2016 included 650 million euros ($718 million) on organizing the event; 301 million euros ($333 million) in team prize money; and 150 million euros ($168 million) to clubs for releasing their players to the finals tournament and qualifying matches.

UEFA can point to its financial results as an argument for keeping the 24-team format beyond Euro 2020, despite criticism that the quality of football has declined.

Many analysts viewed the 16-team format as a perfect number for a tournament bracket and to ensure top teams played against each other in the group stage.

The success of surprise semifinalist Wales and quarterfinalist Iceland is also part of UEFA’s argument for maintaining the bigger event.

"There are no small teams in Europe anymore," said Villar, a potential candidate to succeed Platini in a Sept. 14 election. "This fresh air is justification for the tournament’s 24 team format.’

To listen to the full interview, CLICK HERE

The central defender failed to recover from a thigh muscle injury in time to play in the semifinal against Wales, which Portugal won 2-0.

There has been no update from Portugal on the condition of Real Madrid’s Pepe, who was doing ball work with a member of the Portuguese staff on Friday at the team’s training base south of Paris.

Pepe has been on excellent form in France, reining in his famed hot temper and organizing Portugal’s defence.