“I told Fernando Santos, don’t worry I’ll score!” – Portugal’s Euro 2016 hero Eder on iconic goal, Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy and advice from Sérgio Conceição | OneFootball

As Portugal edge nearer to this summer’s attempt to reclaim the European Championships, the man who scored the most important goal in Seleção history has been speaking about his big moment.

Eder gave an interview to Pedro Pinto’s 1 Para 1 Podcast, during which the former striker recounted his experience in Paris in 2016, when his winning goal against France gave Portugal a 1-0 victory and their first-ever international trophy.

Now retired, Eder also talked about the legacy of ex-teammate Cristiano Ronaldo will leave in the country, as well as revealing some words of advice from FC Porto manager Sérgio Conceição when the pair were together at Braga almost ten years ago.

Naturally, the biggest focus centred on 10th July 2016. As if explanations were required, Eder had been introduced as a 79th minute substitute for Renato Sanches, added to a Portugal side still reeling from Cristiano Ronaldo’s withdrawal midway through the first half. Ten minutes away from the prospect of a nerve-wrecking penalty shootout, Eder evaded the French defence and fired the ball into the bottom corner of Hugo Lloris’ net for what would prove a career-defining moment.

“I didn’t expect to play in the final honestly,” Eder recalls. “Because I didn’t play in the previous games, we were doing well and Ronaldo was scoring and in form. Now I believe in destiny but I didn’t expect it to happen that way. Ronaldo never gets injured and he was our biggest weapon, we had a lot of faith in our captain. That’s how the opponent thought. I didn’t expect it to be like this, but it was a blessing.

“Fernando Santos called me to warm up, I did and a few minutes later he called me a second time to come on. He started giving me a list of instructions, tells me to hold the ball and move it forward. I say to him: ‘Mister, don’t worry I will score’. I had never done that before, but that’s what I told him. I felt like I had to tell him that.

“I’ve also imagined it [the goal] several times and it didn’t happen. I come on and the game goes through several phases, with France attacking, the ball hitting the post, great saves from Patrício and then that ball from Moutinho comes and I think: 'Well, well. , I'm going to turn the ball over and we’re going to attack'.

“When I realise I’m alone, I had Nani but he was very far away and further back, so I say: 'Look, I'm going for goal'. It was important to hold off Koscielny’s pressure, I did and I was waiting for that gap to shoot. I was also worried about getting my body over the ball as much as possible, because I thought the ball could go high. The ball went off at a good height, almost close to the grass, it went through that gap. It was a huge joy.

“It’s funny, people always tell me stories when they meet me. They say ‘look, I’ll never forget what I was doing that day’. I still have a lot of people approach me, I’m used to it. At first it was weird, but now it’s much easier. It’s funny. They tell me where they were and that I made them cry. It’s very gratifying for me and I like to listen to them, because it impacted us all.”

There was enough time during the interview to discuss other topics, including Eder’s interesting account of his time working under Sérgio Conceição at Braga. Current FC Porto boss Conceição spent a year as Eder’s manager at Estádio Municipal in the 2014-15 season, where the striker learned a less friendly on-field approach.

“He told me that, for a striker, I was very friendly on the field. Because I’m a little more reserved and on the field it’s the same thing. But he wanted me to be aggressive. And a striker really has to be aggressive, he has to be 'selfish' often. And it was something that stuck with me as a player.”

Finally, Eder offered his thoughts on Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy. Although the Portugal talisman has offered no indication he is ready to hang up his boots, the impact of Portugal having produced the greatest goalscorer in modern football is clear.

“It’s as if he arrived here and will leave a manual for many young people to see,” Eder said. “With the requirements and the points on which, whatever their quality, players can work to reach a certain level. He’s the example.”