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Closing the book on Euro 2016

Euro 2016 are over and Portugal are winners. Wild, eh? Gabriele Marcotti offers 24 thoughts to round out an entertaining 24-team tournament in France.

1. Sports don't happen in a vacuum

We had severe flooding in the build-up to Euro 2016. ESPN's set on the banks of the Seine had to be evacuated and transferred elsewhere. We had strikes and demonstrations entirely entirely unrelated to the competition that nevertheless disrupted travel and brought out police with riot gear and tear gas canisters. And we had the threat of terrorism, which thankfully never materialized during the tournament.