It doesn’t get better than winning a trophy with your country.
Or so we’d imagine, given we’re yet to represent our country (phone is always on, Gareth Southgate).
But for the majority of Portugal’s 2016 European Championship winners victory has come at a cost.
Almost as if a curse was placed on the winning squad, many of Portugal’s heroes have struggled in the following two years. Don’t believe us? Read on.
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Bruno Alves
Alves’ only game at Euro 2016 came as a replacement for fellow enforcer Pepe in the semi-finals.
He can now be found turning out for Rangers where it hasn’t taken him long to get to grips with the more physical side of the Scottish game.
This is, after all, a man who warmed up for Euro 2016 by trying to take Harry Kane’s head off.
Jose Fonte
Fonte played from the round of 16 all the way through to the final, completing a journey from League One everyman to European Championship winner in just five years.
But rather than kick on and establish himself as a Southampton legend, Fonte made the decision to join West Ham.
Injuries mean he hasn’t played for West Ham since 28 October 2017, giving him time to troll Southampton in his spare time.
Raphael Guerreiro
Guerreiro was one of Portugal’s standout performers at Euro 2016, earning a nomination for the Young Player of the Tournament.
He moved to Borussia Dortmund after but a broken foot sustained in the 2017 Confederations Cup has stalled his progress.
If only Portugal hadn’t won the Euros they wouldn’t have qualified for the Confederations Cup and Guerreiro would be halfway to a Ballon d’Or nomination…
Ricardo Carvalho
Carvalho was the oldest outfield player on show when he took to the pitch at the Euro 2016 finals aged 38.
What curse did the tournament have in store for him? A couple of months after the finals he was sentenced to prison in Spain for tax fraud.
Can now be found hiding playing for Shanghai SIPG.
Cristiano Ronaldo
The image of Ronaldo coaching Portugal to victory against France will go down in European Championship history.
If Real Madrid’s form gets any worse then he may well be taking over from Zinedine Zidane soon.
Madrid’s tactics already fully revolve around Ronny, so it wouldn’t be too big a step.
Eder
Forever destined to be a pub quiz question, the goalscoring hero of the final shocked Swansea fans when he found the back of the net, something he’d failed to do in Wales.
He went back to Lille but after scoring just six goals during the 2016/17 he was loaned to Lokomotiv Moscow.
Goals haven’t come any easier in Russia.
Joao Mario
The Portuguese Jack of all trades has yet to master one.
He moved from Sporting to Inter Milan on the back of the tournament but proved something of an expensive mistake.
However without his failed move, and following loan to West Ham, we wouldn’t have this lovely announcement video.
William Carvalho
Big Will hasn’t been particularly troubled following Portugal’s Euro 2016 victory.
But anyone who has tried to prize him away from Sporting has felt the wrath of the curse.
Just ask West Ham’s ‘Dildo Brothers’.
Andre Gomes
Gomes isn’t just fighting Portugal’s Euro 2016 curse, he’s also having to work against the hex on all Portuguse players at Barcelona following Luis Figo’s move to Real Madrid.
Poor lad.
The 24-year-old, who started Portugal’s first game in France, is very much on the sidelines at the Nou Camp although Jorge Mendes will probably end up getting him a move to PSG (or Wolves) in the future.
Renato Sanches
Euro 2016’s Young Player of the Tournament should have been making a mockery of the Bundesliga by now.
Instead he’s fleetingly appearing for relegation fodder Swansea.
At 20 he’s still got plenty of time to ensure he’s not the latest in a long line of Golden Boy award recipients to fade into relative obscurity.
Adrien Silva
Silva came into Portugal’s side for the 120 minute snoozefest epic against Croatia in the round of 16.
He too was hit with the Portugal curse when Leicester missed the deadline for his transfer by 14 seconds, causing the midfielder to sit on the sidelines until January.
He saw the funny side though, judging by his shirt number.
Nani
Did you know that Nani was 31?
We can’t tell if that’s older or younger than we thought.
The one-time successor to Figo now warms Lazio’s bench.
Rafa Silva
Silva hardly played at Euro 2016 but even he hasn’t escaped Portugal’s Euro 2016 curse.
The 27-year-old now hardly plays at Benfica, making just one league start this season.
His next destination? Reportedly Wolves, with the rest of Portugal’s cast-offs.
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