Featured Article Summary #155

The UEFA Euro 2016 final was the last match of UEFA Euro 2016, the 15th European Championship for national football teams. It was played at the Stade de France in Paris on 10 July 2016, with Portugal facing the host nation France. Portugal advanced to the final after finishing third in their group and then defeating Croatia, Poland (on penalties), and Wales, while France won Group A and beat Ireland, Iceland, and Germany in the semi-finals. The match was watched by 75,868 people and refereed by Mark Clattenburg. After a goalless 90 minutes and an injury to Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal scored the only goal in the 108th minute when Eder beat the goalkeeper, winning 1–0 to claim their first major tournament title. With the win, Portugal qualified for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, while France became the second host team to lose the final. UEFA Euro 2016 was the 15th European Championship for national teams, held in France from 10 June to 10 July 2016. After qualifying rounds, 24 teams played in six groups, with the top teams moving on to the knock-out stage, including France as hosts. France had a strong record against Portugal in past meetings, and the final was played at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, the tournament’s main stadium. Portugal topped Group F after seven wins and one loss in qualifying, then drew 1–1 with Iceland, 0–0 with Austria and finished third in the group after a 3–3 draw with Hungary. They advanced from third place, beat Croatia 1–0 in the round of 16, and overcame Poland 5–3 on penalties in the quarter-finals. In the semi-final, Portugal beat Wales 2–0 to reach the Euro 2016 final. France qualified automatically as hosts and were drawn into Group A. They beat Romania 2–1, Albania 2–0, and drew 0–0 with Switzerland to top the group, then overcame the Republic of Ireland 2–1 in the round of 16. After thrashing Iceland 5–2 in the quarter-finals, France beat Germany 2–0 in the semi-finals to reach the final, their first major-tournament win over Germany since 1958. The official match ball for the knockout rounds and final was the Adidas Fracas, launched on 20 June, and it was the first time the final did not use a separate exclusive ball design and the tournament used multiple designs. Referee Mark Clattenburg was announced as the head official for the final, with an all-European team of assistants, and he had already officiated major finals in the same season. In the build-up, there were clashes around fan areas in Paris, and the evening included a closing ceremony featuring dancers and performances. France made no changes to their semi-final lineup, while Portugal returned Pepe and William Carvalho, and both teams set up in different formations.