Portugal heroes return after Euro triumph

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Portugal's national football team members celebrate with the trophy on an open top bus on arrival at Lisbon airport on July 11, 2016 after their Euro 2016 final football win over France yesterday. The Portuguese football team led by Cristiano Ronaldo returned home to a heroes' welcome today after their upset 1-0 win triumph over France in the Euro 2016 final. / AFP PHOTO / PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA

Portugal's forward Eder (C-R) raises the Euro 2016 football championship trophy next to Portugal's forward and captain Cristiano Ronaldo as players leave the team's base camp in Marcoussis on their way to the airport to fly to Portugal on July 11, 2016, a day after Portugal won the UEFA Euro 2016 football tournament. / AFP PHOTO / FRANCISCO LEONG

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, 2016 after they won the Euro 2016 final football over France on July 10. The Portuguese football team led by Cristiano Ronaldo returned home to a heroes' welcome today after their upset 1-0 win triumph over France in the Euro 2016 final. / AFP PHOTO / Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) / Francisco PARAISO / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / PORTUGUESE FOOTBALL FEDERATION / FRANCISCO PARAISO - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Portugal's forward and captain Cristiano Ronaldo (C) and teammates wave at supporters who gathered outside the team's base camp in Marcoussis before leaving to the airport to fly to Portugal on July 11, 2016, a day after Portugal won the UEFA Euro 2016 football tournament. / AFP PHOTO / FRANCISCO LEONG

The Portuguese football team led by Cristiano Ronaldo returned home to a heroes’ welcome Monday after their upset triumph over France in the Euro 2016 final.

Tens of thousands of fans waited for the team at Lisbon airport when their special flight arrived. There have been joyous nationwide celebrations since the 1-0 win at the Stade de France in Paris on Sunday night.

Two airport fire trucks sprayed jets of water in the green and red national colours as the the plane taxied to the terminal.

Ronaldo and coach Fernando Santos were first to emerge from the plane with the trophy.

Man-of-the-match defender Pepe carried the prize down the steps, where the 23-man squad boarded an open-top bus to start a victory parade for the country’s first major international football honour.

After meeting President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the bus was to take Ronaldo and his fellow-conquerors on a tour of the capital.