How Portugal Won the Euros

How Did Portugal Win The Euros?

So Portugal just beat France in the Euro 2016 Finals, without their captain and best player Cristiano Ronaldo for the majority of the game. I am sure there were more than a few people surprised by this so let's break down what Portugal did, and what advantages they had.

• Team-spirit- Not saying that France lacked team spirit, but honestly, Portugal looked much more energetic and worked better cohesively. Fatigue could also have played a roll in France not having as much energy as Portugal, but there is no denying the fact that Portugal were running very hard. France had undoubtedly better individuals (barring Ronaldo) but as a unit, something was lacking in the middle of the field. Pogba was playing shockingly deep on the field, which prevented him from showing his creativity and flair up front, and other than Sissoko, Griezman, and Payet until he was subbed were the only people who looked like they could produce something. The entire Portuguese midfield was working hard and they were helping out their defense more than that was demanded from them, but not more than required. The marking was spot on and they made sure the French could not flourish in the final third.

• Mentality - The Portuguese were superior on the mental side. They did everything possible to stop the French from reaching the back of the net. They were helped by the woodwork and some untimely jumps from Les Bleus, but their defending was incredible, and although it was not beautiful to watch, Pepe and Patricio were amazing for their country. Also the only goal of the game came from someone people might not have even expected to see play, much less score a goal, in the dying minutes of extra time. That takes very high amounts of confidence and self-belief and to pull it off in a stadium teeming with opponent fans is fantastic.                                                                                                                                                   

So now that we have seen those points let us look at what Portugal had with them, not just in the final.

• Cristiano Ronaldo -  I don't think anyone is going to say he did nothing. His 3 goals and 3 assists helped his team win, but outside the stats, his attitude and, leadership accomplished the incredible.                              
• Tactical Smarts - Unlike most other teams which were considered options for winning, Portugal was not the kind of team which thrived on possession and chances created, but rather on defending fiercely and attacking when the chance presented itself. They defeated both Wales and France in this way.                                                                                                                                        
• Fitness -  They had an incredibly fit team through out the tournament. They used a lot of their substitutes unlike other teams, but they still only won one game in normal time. That means three of their games were at least 120 minutes, and to have played all that time and not play lazy in the finals must have taken amazing fitness.