ST Predictor

Euro 2016: ST Predictor - Majority of entries got it wrong on Portugal

A handout photo released by the Portuguese Football Federation shows Portugal's national football team players posing with the trophy aboard the plane returning to Portugal on July 11. PHOTO: AFP

Newly minted European football champions Portugal were the top pick of less than two per cent out of some 200 entries in The Straits Times' Euro 2016 Predictor.

Which is quite a feat, considering that those who predicted Cristiano Ronaldo and Co would go all the way and become champions, had to do so by ST's deadline of June 24, when the group stage ended.

The Portuguese were the only team to qualify for the knockout phase without winning a group game, relying on a sleek but not-too-sexy counter-attacking strategy.Led by star forward Ronaldo and a rejuvenated Luis Nani, they edged past Croatia, Poland and Wales to set up a final showdown with hosts France.

Nearly 60 readers were feeling the blues after originally tipping the more widely fancied France to win the final early Monday morning (July 11) on home soil.

Not to fret if your selections were just off the mark, for we have randomly drawn 10 readers who named at least one of the two eventual finalists - Portugal and France - and they will receive adidas Euro jerseys.

These winners will be contacted on Twitter.

In our other interactive game, readers built their best all-time Euro footballer - never an easy task and always a favourite debate topic.

Ten of them will bag adidas jerseys too.

In case you were wondering, the most popular selections were as follows:

• Best mind: Zinedine Zidane (France)

• Best header: Miroslav Klose (Germany)

• Best dribbler: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

• Best heart: Paolo Maldini (Italy)

• Best left foot: Gareth Bale (Wales)

• Best right foot: David Beckham (England)

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 12, 2016, with the headline Euro 2016: ST Predictor - Majority of entries got it wrong on Portugal. Subscribe