Major Link Soccer: Portugal win without Ronaldo

EURO 2016

The final to Euro 2016 was as uniquely unexciting as any cup final in recent memory. The first European championship for Portugal came in the tournament's first-ever scoreless final through regulation. It took the better part of an extra time period for a team to concede, despite France's excellent home-field advantage and their significant talent chasm (even before Cristiano Ronaldo left the game in the first half with a leg injury.)

It may not have been fun to watch, but Portugal head coach Fernando Santos managed the crap out of a difficult game.

Ronaldo became the first of the consensus best-two players in the world to win an international trophy, and fans aren't likely to let Messi forget it anytime soon (particularly given his "international retirement."

Senior NT titles count for the 2 greatest players of this generation.

Cristiano Ronaldo -
Lionel Messi - 0 pic.twitter.com/vWewAae8KG

— Deji Kofi Faremi (@deejayfaremi) July 11, 2016

The final was a microcosm of the entire tournament, where the underdog was often the favorite. (don't think about that too hard.) The windfall from the games is expected to be in the tune of a billion dollars.

Europe

Jurgen Klinsmann is a favorite for the England head coaching vacancy (at least among certain sects of American soccer fans) but Arsene Wenger isn't ruling out taking up the job himself.

Speaking of Arsenal, the London club recently banned a fan from their stadium for the use of an offensive tweet.

Bayern Munich's home field was lit up for Christopher Street Day.

Seattle

Prosoccertalk decided to rub our frustrations in a little bit, pointing out how rare it is that MLS teams lose at home. The Sounders are the only team in the league to have lost on home turf more than they'd won.

ECS is opening their Adult Academy for registration, with weekends in July and August waiting for you to sign up and learn the basics of soccer.

MLS

Rumors indicate that Palermo may be going after New England Revolution's Diego Fagundez.

FC Dallas signed a young Brazilian striker, and won't share.

San Jose soccer fans undermined Pride Day with an outdated homophobic slur. It's up to the league to kill it for good.