Profile: Portugal’s EURO 2016 final hero, Eder

A Euro 2016 final between Portugal and France. Who would be the hero? Cristiano Ronaldo, Antoine Griezmann or Paul Pogba? Wrong, Eder was the unlikely star in Paris on Sunday night.

Les Bleus were the overwhelming favourites going into the final at the Stade de France, but it was a former Swansea City player that stole the headlines as Portugal won 1-0 thanks to his brilliant extra time strike, which gave his nation their first-ever major tournament success.

Shoot takes a closer look at the tall attacker…

Eder of Portugal celebrates scoring a goal with teammates. Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Where did it all start for Eder?

He was born in Guinea-Bissau, before moving to Portugal as a child and showed his love for the game at an early age, appearing for Associacao Desportiva e Cultural da Ademia in the Coimbra District at the age of 11.

Eder made his senior debut for FC Oliveira do Hospital at the age of 18, and went on to score 18 goals in just 23 appearances, before making the move to a side in the Portuguese third tier – G.D Tourizense.

After scoring 11 goals in 45 matches, the 20-year-old got his big move to the Primeira Liga with Academica.

What happened next?

The 6ft 3in hitman didn’t enjoy the greatest of first seasons in the top flight though, scoring just one goal in 30 appearances in all competitions for Academica.

Eder spent four seasons with the club, the last of which was tarnished by the fact that he was suspended by his employers for continually failing to turn up to training, but that didn’t stop the interest in acquiring his services.

It was SC Braga who took a chance on the attacker, signing him on a four-year deal. It was a spell that would turn out to be the best in his career to date, and after three seasons, he had scored 33 goals in 82 games for the Portuguese outfit, beginning to attract interest from Premier League clubs.

Eder of Swansea checks the studs on his boots. Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

Did he get his move to the English top flight?

He certainly did. It was Garry Monk and Swansea City who decided to take a £5 million punt on the then 27-year-old, and he made his debut as a substitute in the opening day 2-2 draw at Chelsea.

However, after Monk was sacked following a poor run of form for the Swans, and after Eder had failed to score in 15 competitive matches for the Welsh side, he was loaned out to French side Lille for the rest of the campaign.

His chances of getting into the Portugal squad for Euro 2016 were quite slim at this point, but it was to be at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy where his fortunes would change.

The forward ended the season with six goals in 14 appearances in all competitions, helping the club to finish fifth in Ligue 1 to qualify for the Europa League, being rewarded with a permanent four-year deal as a result.

How has he performed for Portugal?

Incredibly, his winning goal in Paris on Sunday was his first goal in a competitive match for his country, and only his fourth in 29 caps for his country.

Eder had previously scored three goals – all in friendlies – since making his debut against Azerbaijan in September 2012, and was also in the Portugal squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

His name will now go down in Portuguese history, after helping his nation win their first-ever major honour.