Euro 2016 glory and the formidable current team are thanks to investment in youth and coaching 20 years ago
It is one of the the most familiar images of European Championship history. With Portugal closing out the final in Saint-Denis, Cristiano Ronaldo buzzes down the touchline, gesticulating wildly to his teammates with neither a limp nor the troublesome left leg that he continually clutches fettering his energy.
Both in the breathless tension of the Stade de France that night and re-watching now, it feels as if Ronaldo is the coach. It was not the contribution to the Euro 2016 final that their captain and most talismanic player had imagined but despite his truncated involvement on the field, after Dimitri Payet ploughed through him early in the game, he was involved right to the end.
Related: ‘We were simple as doves, wise as serpents’: Portugal toast Euro 2016 win
Related: Euro 2020: your complete guide to all 622 players
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