Defiant Portugal gatecrash French party in style

PORTUGAL lost their captain at a time when they needed him the most, but the rest of the team never lost their composure and confidence on the most dramatic of nights in Paris.

Long saddled with the tag of being a one-man show, Portugal showed the world what they could accomplish without Cristiano Ronaldo pulling the strings.

The reward for such tenacity, belief and defiance was the gleaming Euro 2016 trophy - the country's first major title in 95 years of playing international football - after the substitute Eder blasted in the only goal of the match deep into extra time on Sunday night (Monday morning, Singapore time).

Portugal's vanquished opponents, France, could hardly believe their luck. Buoyed by a relatively easy run of fixtures to the final, fervent home support at every stadium and the sight of an injured Ronaldo stretchered off i…