Portugal clinched Euro 2016 with just ONE win inside 90mins — against Wales — has anyone done anything similar?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. only managed a solitary victory in allotted time, SunSport looks back at other win-shy champs
PORTUGAL triumphed at Euro 2016 despite only winning ONE match inside 90 minutes.
That solitary victory came when goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani downed Wales in the semi-finals.
Aside from that, Portugal drew their three group games against Iceland, Austria and Hungary and beat Croatia in the last-16 with an extra time winner from Ricardo Quaresma.
Poland were next to be dispatched — on penalties.
Then Wales were taken care of inside the allotted 90 before Fernando Santos’ men beat France after extra time.
Has any team won a major honour by winning so few games?
SunSport takes a look at similar examples.
Euro 76
For the first five editions of the European Nations’ Cup/Championships only four teams competed.
In 1976, it was Czechoslovakia, Netherlands, Yugoslavia and West Germany —and NO team won a match in 90 minutes.
Czechoslovakia and West Germany overcame Netherlands and Yugoslavia respectively after extra time.
And semi-final victors met in a final which was famously decided in a penalty shoot — with Antonin Panenka’s innovative effort clinching trophy.
World Cup 1982 — Italy
The Azzurri won none of their games in the first phase, finishing runners to Poland in a group which also Cameroon and Peru.
Italy’s stars adopted a siege mentality and implemented a media blackout following absurd reports in the media back home that team-mates Paolo Rossi and Antonio Cabrini were having an affair.
They eventually turned it on in the next phase — beating holders, Argentina, and favourites, Brazil, before eliminating Poland in the semi-finals.
Italy won their fourth game of the tournament when they overcame West Germany 3-1 in the final.
Paolo Rossi won the Golden Boot but failed to score in first four games.
He netted a hat-trick to beat Brazil, two against Poland and one in the final.
European Cup 1987-88 — PSV Eindhoven
Remarkably, the Dutch side failed to win a match from the quarter-finals onward.
Guus Hiddink’s men beat Galatasaray 3-0 in the first round but suffered a scare when they lost 2-0 in the return leg.
They won their final games of the tournament when they beat Rapid Vienna 2-1 away and 2-0 at home.
Then came a 1-1 draw in Bordeaux and a 0-0 in Eindhoven to qualify on away goals.
Real Madrid awaited in the semi-finals — it was the same again.
PSV faced Benfica in the Stuttgart final which also finished goalless.
Ronaldo Koeman and Co. held their nerve in the shoot-out to be crowned champions of Europe despite only winning THREE matches in the competition.
This was actually the third leg of a sensational Treble.
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Premier League 1996-97 — Manchester United
A mere 21 wins were required for Sir Alex Ferguson to win his fourth Premier League title.
The points tally of 75 remains the lowest since three points were introduced for a win.
The Red Devils lost five and drew 12 on their way to the championship.
United lost back-to-back games 5-0 and 6-3 and won just four of their last ten games.
However, they still eclipsed their rivals and won the title by SEVEN points!
Champions League 1998-99 — Manchester United
They don’t do things the easy way.
United were pitted in a group alongside Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Brondby in an era where only first-place guaranteed progression — and the two best runners up (out of six) joined them.
Fergie’s men remained unbeaten but registered just two wins — both against the Danish minnows — to sneak through in second place.
A third win ensued against Inter Milan, with a draw and the San Siro ensuring qualification.
Ryan Giggs’ dramatic equaliser salvaged a draw at Old Trafford in the semi-finals against Juventus, before United came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in Turin.
The final brought around a fifth victory of the tournament as they beat Bayern Munich 2-1 — although both goals were technically scored after 90 minutes.
This remains the lowest victory tally of any winner in the Champions League era.