From Eusébio da Silva Ferreira to Ederzito António Macedo Lopes, The Thirteenth Chapter sequentially recounts the tale of each of the 6 World Cups and 7 European Championships in which Portugal have participated. Tournament by tournament, the harrowing drama, the extraordinary feats, the sub-plots, feuds, and classic matches are described in vivid detail, from the qualifying campaign to the main event itself, embellished throughout by first-hand interviews with Portugal players who were at the centre of the action.

The final chapter is different because it was the tournament when the Seleção finally did what it had threatened to do several times – bring home the trophy. Chapter 13 reconstructs the 26 days in France that changed Portugal’s football history, the protagonists who made it happen, and the unbridled celebrations. It concludes by looking back at the complete tapestry of the Seleção’s 50-year tournament history, analysing common themes and the reasons why Portugal finally achieved glory after continual near misses. It’s quite a journey.