EDER last night scored the goal that gave Portugal their first ever may triumph - and then said Cristiano Ronaldo had predicted he would do it.
EURO CHAMPS: Portugal's players get their hands on the trophy
Ronaldo was stretchered off in tears after 25 minites when a crunching tackle from West Ham’s Dimitri Payet left him hobbling.
And the Swansea reject, who now plays for Lille, then revealed: “Ronaldo told me I would score the winning goal for the team.
“He gave me this strength, this energy and it was vital.
“It was a goal I've been working for from the first minute of the Euros.
“For all the work we did, for all of the Portuguese, it’s fantastic.
“It’s well deserved and we should all be congratulated.”
Portual defender Pepe added: “It was tough to lose our main man. The man who could at any moment score a goal. He could make the difference but we were warriors on the pitch.
“We said we would win it for him and we managed to do that.
“There was a lot of suffering, a very intense game, we fought very hard.
“We had to work very hard and be more humble than the other team, that’s the only way to win.
“We left it all out there, it’s the only way to win. We represented Portugal, a beautiful country of immigrants and we represent every one of them. This goes out them.”
Gutted France coach Didier Deschamps said: “Even if we were a little bit tired as well, that’s not an excuse.
“It came down to tiny details, it was a close match. We had chances, as did the Portuguese, but unfortunately they scored.
“It’s a great disappointment for it to end now, with this final.
“It was tough to lose our main man. The man who could at any moment score a goal. He could make the difference but we were warriors on the pitch. We said we would win it for him and we managed to do that.
"We must not throw everything that we’ve done away, but we threw away a great chance to be European Champions - not the only one, but a great one.”
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