GETTY CHAMPIONS: Cristiano Ronaldo lifts the Euro 2016 trophy He had only come on as a 77th minute replacement for wonder-kid Renato Sanches but was the toast of his country by the final whistle.
The 28-year-old former Swansea striker took a pass with his back to goal, turned and powered straight at the heart of the French defence before beating Hugo Lloris from 20 yards.
Portugal had previously spent most of the game on the back foot after losing skipper Cristiano Ronaldo in the 25th minute.
The Portugal skipper and Real Madrid superstar had talked about crying tears of joy after his goal in Portugal’s 2-0 defeat of Wales led his country to the final of Euro 2016.
But Ronaldo was sobbing in despair as he was carried off on a stretcher in Paris.
His woe stemmed from a challenge from West Ham’s Dimitri Payet in the eighth minute.
Premier League ref Mark Clattenburg gave no foul and replays showed the Frenchman got the ball first, then caught CR7, following through with his right knee on his opponent’s left.
Ronaldo was then the target of heavy challenges by Laurent Koscielny and Bacary Sagna.
He needed treatment on an off the pitch in the 17th minute and came back on five minutes later with his knee heavily starpped, but was clearly hobbling as he tried to make a forward run.
A couple of minutes later he was down again, amid more booing, and the stretched was called for.
In tears he handed the armband to Nani, with Ricardo Quaresma coming on the replace him in the 25th minute.
Having initially jeered him Ronaldo was given a good reception by home fans as he was carried off.
The drama deflected from a less than inspiring opening half in this climax to a tournament that has never truly caught fire, just sizzled occasionally.
Nani had an early chance, but lobbed over hastily. Then came a real opportunity.
Pepe slipped in the 11th minute and Oliver Giroud seized the ball and chipped in for Antoine Griezmann.
His looping header was creeping in, but Rui Patricio stretched athletically to tip over with his left hand.
The excellent Moussa Sissoko turned Adrien Silva in the box superbly and then blasted a shot which Patricio beat away.
Then Cedric was booked for jumping with a knee in Payet’s back - retribution for Ronaldo no doubt.
The French continued their physical treatment straight after the break when, with less than a minute gone, Samuel Umtiti stood on Nani’s foot.
In the 47th minute Sissoko aimed a little kick at Pepe, again Clattenburg gave a foul but no booking.
The ref famously stuck out his tongue at the Real Madrid defender in the Champions League Final because he was so unimpressed at his howling reaction to a challenge.
Payet came off in the 58th minute to be replaced by Kingley Coman. His biggest contribution on the night was arguably taking out Ronaldo.
Griezmann had another shot from a tight angle but the commanding-looking Patricio was never going to be seriously troubled by it.
Clattenburg did not endear himself to Portugal fans when he booked Joao Mario for tripping Olivier Giroud in the 63rd minute.
Griezmann then went agonisingly close to claiming his seventh goal of the tournament - four more than any other - when he met a cross from Coman with a glancing header which flashed just over.
Despite all their pressure and possession, Les Bleus struggled to turn it into a goal and the hosts’ boss Didier Deschamps reacted with huge frustration to the narrow miss.
But in extra time the decisive moment happened - ensuring Eder’s name is never forgotten.
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