Ronaldo: No one believed in us
Cristiano Ronaldo was full of praise for Portugal after what he felt was a deserved UEFA Euro 2016 success.
Portugal star and captain Cristiano Ronaldo praised his team for a deserved UEFA Euro 2016 success, saying it had proved its critics wrong.
Eder scored a 109th-minute winner as Fernando Santos's men claimed a 1-0 victory over France in the final in Paris on Monday (AEST).
Ronaldo came off because of a knee injury in the first half, but returned to try and rally Portugal to a first major title from the sidelines.
The Real Madrid forward lauded Portugal and felt it was a worthy champion.
"Portugal have deserved this after many years of sacrifice. No one believed in us," Ronaldo said.
"I had already won everything with clubs. I lacked something with the national team."
Ronaldo said he knew Lille striker Eder would score the winner.
He said: "I've been in football a long time. I have a lot of feelings. I felt that he was the one who was going to score."