From Eder's winner to Payet's tears: Firstpost writers pick best moments and turning points of Euro 2016

31 days, 24 teams, 51 games, 108 goals. Some considered it entertaining, some reckoned it was drab while some thought that it was lengthy. But as always, the European Championship provided some brilliant moments - from joyous celebrations to tears of heartbreak - the month-long football spectacle in France had it all. There were incidents that sparked teams to life while some brought about their downfall. Firstpost’s writers picked their best moments and turning points for the teams that they covered through the tournament. France (Akarsh Sharma) Best Moment: My favourite France moment from Euro 2016 was the sight of midfielder Dimitri Payet failing to control his tears after scoring a stunning late winner against Romania in the opener. Even at the age of 29, Payet was overwhelmed by this dream-like moment. It showed how much playing for the country meant to him. It was important because the national team hasn’t always been seen in a positive light back home. It had been out to redeem itself ever since the 2010 World Cup debacle — when a group of self-serving individuals put themselves above the nation. Payet’s tears formed an instant connect with the French public. It reaffirmed their belief. If there was any doubt over what this tournament meant to the players, they were dispelled on the very first day. [caption id=“attachment_2889960” align=“alignleft” width=“379”] Eder celebrates after scoring the winning goal against France in Euro 2016 final. Getty[/caption] Turning Point: Antoine Griezmann’s equaliser against the Republic of Ireland in the round-of-16 gave the French the second wind they so desperately needed. The hosts were down a goal in the second half and in need of inspiration. Nerves had been building with every passing minute. Exiting this early from the tournament would have been unthinkable. Coach Didier Deschamps had made a change at half time which allowed Griezmann to play in his favourite role: As a roving second striker. The Atletico striker went on to score a brace. His first was a magnificent header, his second a narrowing finish. He became the focal point of the French team going forward. Deschamps even ditched his preferred formation to ensure Griezmann retained that role, and Griezmann repaid his coach’s faith. Although Griezmann and France fell one step short of glory, his two goals each against Iceland and Germany led the team to a dream final. Germany (Priyansh) Best Moment: The enduring memory of what was largely a lacklustre campaign for Germany was Jerome Boateng’s goal line clearance against Ukraine in the tournament opener. The Germans had begun well, but their opponents were pushing hard and there was a fair bit of pressure on the world champions. As the interval approached, Ukraine’s Andriy Yarmolenko saw Yehven Konoplyanka free on the left side of the German box and found him with a diagonal ball. Although Konoplyanka beat Manuel Neuer, a collapsing Jerome Boateng ensured the ball did not cross the line. His balance wavered but he kept his composure to deny the Ukrainians. In that moment, Germany looked unbeatable. Turning Point: Mario Gomez’s injury in the quarter-final win against Italy meant the Fiorentina striker missed their semi-final clash against France. Gomez had provided a reference point for Germany’s attack since his inclusion in the starting XI for the final group match against Northern Ireland. He scored just twice, but it was his running and spatial awareness that made Germany tick. This was particularly obvious for the goal scored by Mesut Ozil against Italy when Gomez drifted to the left to allow Jonas Hector to run free and provide the assist. In the striker’s absence, Germany looked toothless in attack against France and lost 0-2. Croatia (Sopan Joshi) Best Moments: There are many to choose from. There’s Luka Modric’s 41st-minute volley against Turkey that settled the first game. There is Milan Badelj’s ball-winning that triggered Ivan Perisic’s 37th-minute run and the resulting goal against the Czech Republic. The haunting non-footballing memories will include the flares thrown by Croatian fans on the pitch in the same game, resulting in their team conceding a late equaliser. Centre-back Domigoj Vida played no small part in that melee, by conceding the late penalty; his ridiculous high and flailing arms in the aerial duel that led to the handball was memorable, too. There would have been more talk about it If Jerome Boateng had not outdone him with a statesman-like – and picturesque – handball against Italy, which handed the Italians their equalising penalty. But the biggest surprise was the team sheet that manager Ante Cacic issued for the Round-of- 16 game against Portugal. He had left out the five players who started against Spain in the previous game and dazzled. It played no small part in giving us the worst game of the tournament, with Croatia lacking the initiative and Portugal sitting back. (It took a while to realise Portugal had made a pattern of it). Through much of the second half and added extra time, the Croatia manager held a piece of paper in his hand. It is safe to suspect it was the list of players for the penalty shootout, given how his team was playing. When Cacic made the late substitutions, his flaws in his first choice became obvious. Spain (Jigar Mehta) Best Moment: Andres Iniesta’s cross into the box for Gerard Pique to nod in an 87th minute winner against Czech Republic was the best moment of Spain’s campaign. For 86 minutes, La Roja had passed and passed and passed, but to no avail. It felt predictable, frustrating. But then arrived a lovely looping ball from the left, a cross that had “world class” written all over it, from Andres Iniesta, the best player on the field. Gerard Pique headed it in, as if nodding in his approval that it indeed was world class. The deadlock was broken, Spain had finally taken the lead off their 18th shot of the match in the dying minutes of the game. Turning Point: After a narrow win over Czech and a dazzling display against Turkey, it seemed like Spain had finally regained the momentum. However, against Croatia in their final group match, a strange edginess creeped into Spain’s play after the opening goal. Passes were misplaced, the concentration dipped and the movement was hurried which resulted in Nikola Kalinic equalising at the stroke of half-time. The game was hanging in balance in the second half before Spain got a penalty in the 70th minute. Sergio Ramos, who had endured a difficult time throughout the match, hit it straight down the middle and it was saved by Danijel Subasic. To run salt on Spanish wounds, Ivan Perisic made it game, set and match for Croatia in the 87th minute, which pushed Spain into the tougher half of the knock-out draw. Ahead of the Euros, Cesc Fabregas had recalled how the 2014 World Cup could have been different for Spain. “I remember in the Netherlands game, which we lost 5-1, we were winning 1-0 and David Silva was one-on-one with the goalkeeper. If he had scored that it would have been 2-0, and no chance for them,” he had said. One missed chance proved to be crucial in 2014 and did so again two years later. Had Ramos converted that penalty, things could have been different; Spain could have won and taken the easy route into the knock-outs. Maybe Spain weren’t so mentally strong, which was visible in their confidence against Italy in the round-of-16 as well, where they were absolutely clueless against Antonio Conte’s masterclass. For one moment in Euro 2016, Spain provided hope, but it vanished in no time. Hungary (Priyansh) Best moment: Hungary had waited for a major tournament since 1986. When the first match arrived, it was an encounter against the more illustrious Austrians. There was little that was expected of Hungary. But the side rose to the occasion to script a remarkable win. The moment from the success that stood out was the celebration after the first goal by Adam Szalai. The striker had not scored for months and when he finally did, he was engulfed by Hungarian fans who celebrated like their dearest friend had just put the country ahead. The sense of brotherhood was infectious. Turning Point: The missed opportunities against Belgium. The much-fancied Belgians had taken an early lead in the round-of-16 clash, but the Hungarians responded by giving them a few scares. Until the final quarter of the match, the contest hung in the balance. It looked like Hungary might find a goal that would take the match to extra-time but it was not to be. As Bernd Storck’s side pushed forward, they became increasingly susceptible to counter-attacks and eventually Belgium feasted on the opportunities. A 0-4 defeat did not do justice to the Hungarians, and they walked away with pride at what they had achieved. Sweden (Aakriti Mehrotra) Best Moment: Euro 2016 was to be star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s swansong and also the last time coach Erik Hamren would take charge of the side. However, the Swedes failed to do anything worthwhile throughout the tournament, finishing with one draw and two defeats. There were few positives for the Scandinavians, but there was one thing that hasn’t happened before and won’t take place again. In a rare display of humility, Zlatan admitted he hadn’t performed well in the tournament. His contribution in a yellow shirt has never been doubted and for a player who doesn’t show much self-criticism, it was respectable that he admitted that he hadn’t done enough. Turning Point: The Swedes depended on Zlatan to deliver the goods, but inexplicably played him in a much deeper position. Perhaps due to his ageing legs, he was playing a new role and, unsurprisingly, failed to threaten from there. Following a season where he scored over 50 goals for Paris Saint-Germain, Zlatan produced a tournament where he scored zero. Turkey (Priyansh) Best Moment: In a campaign that delivered too little, it was probably a glimpse of the future that delighted the Turks the most. In their final group game against Czech Republic, Turkey needed to win and win big. Ten minutes into the match, teenager Emre Mor produced a joyful cross for Burak Yilmaz to prod home. His display caught the attention of many and he gave us a glimpse of what he might achieve at new club Borussia Dortmund. Turkey eventually failed to make it past the group stage but left with the promise that Mor could lead a better future. Turning Point: The spineless display against Spain that resulted in a 0-3 defeat. Eventually, it was this loss that ensured Turkey would not make it to the knockout rounds as it worsened their goal difference. The Turks arrived in this tournament under the tutelage of veteran manager Fatih Terim with the belief that they could match the best. But that promise came undone against Spain as a wobbly defence was cut open numerous times. Within 48 minutes, the death knell of the campaign had been sounded out. Czech Republic (Aakriti Mehrotra) Best Moment and Turning Point: The Czechs played beautiful football to get to the Euro 2016 finals, but did not play with the same conviction or style once they were actually part of the tournament. Pavel Vrba’s side played cautiously against Spain and their strategy almost paid off. Against Croatia, they needed something special to get back into the tournament, and that big assist for the Czech came from a section of Croatian fans that threw flares on the pitch for reasons that have been talked about aplenty. There was fighting in the stands and it marred an entertaining game, which Croatia were dominating. The disruption halted the game, and it impacted the Croatian players who were seen appealing to the stands for calm. Czech were already coming back into the game, Tomas Rosicky had put in a wonderful ball for substitute Milan Skoda to score and make the deficit lesser. Tomas Necid then converted from the spot and changed the equation of Group D. This performance filled the Czechs with heart and character and gave them a chance to get to the knockouts. It was a pity that this was followed by a spineless performance against Turkey, and resulted in Vrba’s team going home prematurely. Belgium (Manas Mitul) Best Moment: Belgium, with its stellar cast of characters, promised to light up the Euro 2016. Blessed with a golden generation, the forever underachievers underachieved yet again when Wales, on a mushroom trip throughout the tournament, knocked them out in the quarter-finals. But not before Belgium enthralled their fans with some sweeping football. Their Euro 2016 peak came in the Round of 16 against Hungary, where the Belgians went ‘all hands on deck’ and produced a stellar, all-conquering display, led by a renaissance-Eden Hazard. The Red Devils captain, after a season of struggles with Chelsea, bloomed like spring’s finest on the night, and reminded the world that he still remains as one of football’s best talents. He set up Michy Batshuayi, now his Chelsea teammate, for Belgium’s second goal on the night, before scoring a magnificent goal himself. Yannick Carrasco later scored a fourth to cap a complete performance from Belgium, probably the best by a team in the entire competition. Turning Point: Belgium’s start to the European Championships didn’t go exactly to plan. Italy clipped their wings in their group stage opener with a 2-0 win, a tactical masterclass put up by Antonio Conte. Belgium manager Marc Wilmots was criticised for opting to play Kevin de Bruyne through the left, when the Manchester City midfielder has natural disposition to play through the centre. The turning point came when Wilmots realised his mistake after the Italy loss and quickly shifted De Bruyne to his preferred No. 10 position and the decision bore fruits. Against Republic of Ireland, De Bruyne was unstoppable, and so were Belgium as they rampaged to a 3-0 win. It gave Belgium necessary boost for the rest of the campaign and put things back on track. England (Manas Mitul) Best Moment: The less said about England’s Euro 2016 the better. They, like clockwork, exited the tournament before leaving a mark on it. But with a young and talented side, many expected England to finally break some ground in the competition. The Three Lions did not have the best of starts, when Russia held them to a frustrating 1-1 draw. Their second game was against neighbours Wales, a British derby and Wales started the game emphatically, leading 2-1 at the end of first half, despite England’s early goal through a penalty. But Roy Hodgson went all out in the second half and made a couple of bold substitutions just as the second half began. By replacing Harry Kane with Jamie Vardy and Raheen Sterling with Daniel Sturridge, Hodgson gave England the urgency it needed in attack. And the changes bore fruit. Vardy scored England’s equaliser and Sturridge put in the winner towards the dying minutes of the game. England clinched a famous victory and got their campaign kick-started at the Euros. Hodgson also found his preferred attacking pair going forward.  England played some of their best football in the second half against Wales, that not only pleased fans but also gave a positive result. Those 45 minutes were the team’s highlight in the European Championships. Turning Point: It’s hard to single out a turning point in England’s odd campaign at the Euros. Despite the morale boosting win against Wales, nothing really turned around for England. What followed was a goalless draw to Slovakia that left England second in the Group table behind high-flying Wales. And Iceland served an embarrassing defeat in the Round of 16 to bring England’s misery to an end. England never really looked a team that believed in itself. From the first game itself, it was clear that despite all the possession, England still haven’t tackled their biggest problem in major competitions: lack of goals. And that’s what took them down. Nothing turned for England, except the clock to their history of failing in major competitions. Portugal (Nikhila Makker) Best Moment: For a team that won Euro 2016, it’s almost impossible to look beyond the winning goal as their best moment of the tournament. While Cristiano Ronaldo had two world class goals for Portugal – the sublime backheel against Hungary and the thumping header against Wales – Éder’s unexpected shot from 30 yards in extra time takes the cake. “The ugly duckling went and scored. Now he’s a beautiful swan,” is how coach Fernando Santos described this historical moment. The goal was stunning in itself – the forward evaded Laurent Koscielny to fire home a ferocious strike – but the fact that it was scored by a player who wasn’t even supposed to feature in the match makes the goal even more remarkable. Éder, a Swansea reject, was only brought on due to Ronaldo’s injury that left Portugal without any attacking force in front. In a tournament that had its fair share of surprising moments, Éder’s moment of glory was the most spectacular. Turning Point: Portugal’s thrilling 3-3 draw against Hungary in the group stages helped them stay alive in the competition. The most entertaining, dramatic match of Euro 2016 had almost sent the eventual winners home. Not once, but thrice, Ronaldo’s team was on the verge of a very early exit, and he dragged them back on every occasion. With two goals and an assist, the No. 7 finally showed up at Euro 2016. He teed up Luis Nani for the first equalizer, and then scored through a slick back-heeled flick and a majestic header. Interestingly, had they won the match instead of drawing it, Portugal would have had a very different path ahead in the knockout stages. The 3-3 result, combined with Iceland’s last-minute winner against Austria, led to the Seleção ending up in the relatively easier section of the draw. And the rest, as they say, is history.