It says a lot about the final that Mick Jagger's pre-match message was one of the highlights, but there we are. Here are the main talking points from the match, including Cristiano Ronaldo's beautiful redemption and some inevitable chat about moths.#Euro2016Final pic.twitter.com/4ZC1TWTBm4
— Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) July 10, 2016
MOTHS!
Still, with the match itself so utterly uninspired, a scourge of crepuscular insects at least provided some excitement. As the moths settled down on the stadium's television cameras, perspective turned them into vast monstrosities, feather-winged beasts come to devour Europe's best footballers. At one point, we were almost sure that a giant moth had carried off Paul Pogba, so absent was he from proceedings. When one creature latched viciously onto Olivier Giroud, we thought we could hear the home crowd cheer.There's a plague of moths on the pitch at Paris #Euro2016Final https://t.co/XKlC4ywfF8
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 10, 2016
As it turned out, the moths gave us more to talk about than every single France player put together. Well done to whoever left the lights on; it at least distracted us from the ordure on the pitch.Adding insult to injury, Deschamps now has a moth on his balls. #MothBalled pic.twitter.com/dQfHb2dtJY
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) July 10, 2016
RONALDO REBORN
Was this an act of divine cruelty? Had this moth come to mock Ronaldo, and to drink deep from his salty tears? Was this the mighty moth of fate, an omen of Portugal's impending defeat?No, this was the moth of redemption. This was a healing angel and – despite having no experience of modern sports medicine or physiotherapy – it laid its tiny moth hands on Cristiano, and gave him great strength.The best thing about the #Euro2016 final was when a moth landed on Ronaldo's face. pic.twitter.com/DB5C5pmOcn
— Mike Jeavons (@TheOnlyMikeJ) July 10, 2016
FRANCE, UNDESERVING
France didn't do enough to win, on the night // EPA Images/Ian Langsdon
Zut alors // EPA Images/ Caroline Blumberg
PORTUGAL, UNLOVED
Fernando Santos masterminded Portugal's pragmatic success // EPA Images/Ian Langsdon
Portugal were cynical, unattractive and undeniably effective // EPA Images/Ian Langsdon
THE FINAL INDIGNITY
Let's just do away with all this bollocks // EPA Images/Kamil Zihnioglu
