Topics: Euro 2016, Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal, Euro 2024
Jose Fonte has made a shocking admission about Cristiano Ronaldo's touchline antics during the final of Euro 2016.
Euro 2016 saw Ronaldo win his first - and to date only - major tournament with Portugal, with his side beating tournament hosts France 1-0 in the final.
However, superstar wasn't actually on the field when Eder scored the winning goal deep into extra-time, or indeed for much of the match.
Ronaldo suffered a knee injury in the opening stages, and after twice returning to the field to continue, he was stretchered off after 25 minutes.
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Portugal's talisman had to watch on from the sidelines and hope that his teammates could achieve his dream for him.
As the match entered extra-time he couldn't take it anymore, so he got up and joined manager Fernando Santos in his technical area and started barking instructions at his teammates.
Portugal won thanks to Eder's 109th-minute strike, and the narrative since has been that Ronaldo inspired his teammates to victory.
However, according to Jose Fonte, that isn't quite what happened.
Fonte, currently playing in the Portuguese top flight with Braga, played all 120 minutes of the final for Portugal, and is currently providing punditry on Euro 2024 for the BBC.
During an appearance on FIVE with Rio Ferdinand, the 40-year-old admitted that he and his Portugal teammates that day had no idea what Ronaldo was doing.
"Listen, we were focussed on trying to win the game. Only after [the match] when we watched the images, that's when we realised what was happening with him and the coach," Fonte replied when asked what impact Ronaldo had from the touchline.
"But we were just focussing on trying to win the game to be honest with you."
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