Chapter 336: King of Europe

Chapter 336: King of Europe

When Clattenburg blew the final whistle three times, all the French players couldn't believe the reality—they had lost to the weaker Portugal? Despite losing to Portugal in the past two years' friendlies, few French players took it seriously.

After all, it was just a friendly!

But today, in the Euro Cup final, they lost again!

How could this be?!

Before the match, everyone favored them because they were the biggest favorites. Their opponents hadn't even rested well the night before. During the match, the calls were in their favor, and their opponents lost their captain and spiritual leader early on.

And yet, they lost!

Bruno and his teammates hugged each other tightly, celebrating their victory without restraint. The French players stood in a daze, some even shedding tears of disappointment. Their dream of winning the third Euro Cup was shattered.

"It seems Deschamps' French dynasty will have to wait a bit longer!" remarked the German commentator, slightly mocking, as he saw the defeated French players on the screen.

Deschamps was on the field comforting his players. This loss in the final was a heavy blow to him and his team, but he wasn't disheartened. France was still one of the strongest teams on the planet. Portugal winning the Euro Cup only showed they had great luck and strength this season, not that they would always be this way.

But France could always be strong. Today they lost in the Euro Cup final, but they would come back stronger in the World Cup two years later!

This was the essence of a superpower—a combination of strength and confidence. Deschamps patted his players on the shoulders, saying, "Don't be disheartened. This is just an accident. We will be back in two years!"

On the Portuguese side, Santos was surrounded by his players and thrown into the air in celebration. Leading this team for two years, he had achieved victory after victory. Without him, Portugal wouldn't be where they were today. Whether it was Ronaldo or Bruno, none had contributed as much as Santos, so he deserved this treatment.

Ronaldo also returned to the field, still limping slightly, but he raised his hands high and hugged everyone around him.

The Stade de France had become a sea of joy—for the Portuguese fans, that is. In the stands, Portuguese fans cried and sang in joy. Other than celebrating, they didn't know what else to do.

Bruno was immediately surrounded by reporters. He was the brightest star of the match, undoubtedly the Man of the Match, and possibly the Most Valuable Player of the Euro Cup.

"Bruno! Look this way!"

"Over here, Bruno!"

Photographers yelled to get Bruno to look at their cameras, so Bruno kept turning his head, smiling at different angles. Of course, he was also surrounded by microphones, recorders, and smartphones.

"First of all, congratulations on winning the Euro Cup. Is there anything special you want to say now?"

"I am very happy!" Bruno raised his arms and shouted. He was genuinely ecstatic. "I am very happy to win this championship!"

A reporter asked, "Do you have anything special to say about this match?"

"Yes, we overcame many difficulties and finally won the Euro Cup. This is the highest honor in a football player's career. For me, it's the highest honor!" Bruno was so excited that he was almost incoherent, which was rare for him. As the midfield commander, he usually remained calm. But not today—the Euro Cup victory was too exhilarating, making it hard for him to stay composed.

Although he remained firm and composed during the match, after it ended, he released all his emotions like any other player.

"Does beating France make you feel particularly good?" asked a Spanish reporter.

Bruno nodded, "Yes, they are the strongest team in world football today. To beat them in such an important final makes me very happy. This kind of championship carries great weight. No one can say we just got lucky!"

Bruno's response was powerful, neither diminishing France as unbeatable nor belittling their opponent as weak.

"Is leading Portugal to the Euro Cup without Ronaldo due to injury a miracle?"

Bruno shook his head, "No, this is not a miracle. It's a testament to our strength. From the Euro qualifiers, we've achieved many great results. These are not miracles; we fought for them!"

On Bruno's confident face, the journalists saw the root of this team's success.

A French journalist, still unable to accept that his team lost to Portugal, asked a somewhat spiteful question, seemingly intending to dampen Bruno's spirits: "Coach Santos said you were disturbed last night, but from your performance tonight, it doesn't seem that way. Does this mean Coach Santos was lying, Bruno?"

Such a question was clearly unfriendly. The surrounding journalists were taken aback, and some Portuguese reporters were even angered.

But Bruno's answer surprised everyone and made them laugh heartily.

He replied seriously, "The whole world could see that the Portuguese players were clearly exhausted. But it was precisely the reprehensible actions of some fans that angered all of us, including me. I once heard a Chinese saying, 'A commoner, when enraged, can draw blood within five steps,' so I used a hat-trick to repay those French fans who ran to our hotel and made noise early in the morning. I hope they like it."

The defeated French players quickly retreated to the locker room, knowing they would have to come back out for the award ceremony, which would be true torture for them. Before the match, they were confident of victory, expecting only some difficulties. Now, they had become the backdrop for the champions.

This situation was truly hard to accept for their pride.

"The supposedly unbeatable French team, the strongest team in world football today, was defeated in the most crucial match! They were beaten by a Portuguese team that faced numerous challenges! This team has created a miracle!" the commentator passionately summarized the match.

"How was this miracle created? Look at the overall performance of the Portuguese team in this match, especially after their captain was injured early on. Bruno's performance was just a reflection of the whole team's spirit. If only Bruno had performed well, Portugal couldn't have beaten France!"

"Congratulations to them! They thwarted the schemes of French fans with their courageous actions, showing everyone that in the top-tier matches like the Euro final, tricks don't work! This is the biggest takeaway from this final. A team facing numerous challenges beat an aristocratic powerhouse in a fair and undeniable manner. Even the most extreme French fans should have nothing to say now!"

The Portuguese players, after going wild on the field and being interviewed by the media, returned to the locker room. Each player was still very excited. They even started playing around naked in the locker room.

Bruno, the last to enter due to media interviews, was greeted with a cold shower of champagne as soon as he walked in!

"Welcome, our hero!!!" Ronaldo stood on a bench, holding a half-empty bottle of champagne, leading the cheer.

"Hero! Hero!!" The other teammates echoed in unison.

More champagne was poured from Ronaldo's hands, soaking Bruno, who could only raise his hands to block.

But Bruno wasn't one to back down. He quickly grabbed a bottle of champagne and sprayed it at his teammates.

The locker room turned into a chaotic scene.

Eventually, after the mayhem, led by Ronaldo, everyone shouted, "Champions! Champions! We—are—champions! Champions! Champions! We—are—champions!!"

This scene was, of course, captured by the swarm of media. Some even poured wine on the photographers, making them a part of the celebration.

Finally, under the assistant coach's urging, the players quickly washed off the champagne, with some not even taking a full shower, just changing into new kits and heading out.

Meanwhile, the runner-up award ceremony had already begun. The Portuguese celebration had been so wild that they lost track of time, leaving the impatient French team to receive their awards first.

The French players walked up one by one to the podium at the Stade de France, shaking hands with UEFA Acting President Villar and receiving their silver medals. Only a few bowed their heads to let Villar hang the medals around their necks. Most took the medals directly and held them in their hands, looking dejected and unwilling.

They had every reason to feel so. They had lost to a team that hadn't rested well! Moreover, their opponents lost their captain and spiritual leader just ten minutes into the game. Their opponent's player even scored the first hat-trick in Euro final history. Could there be anything more humiliating?

(End of Chapter)

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