Francisco Conceicao proved the hero on his first competitive start for Portugal after his stoppage-time winner snatched a 2-1 victory over Czechia in their Euro 2024 opener.
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player in the European Championship's 64-year history to appear in six editions, but his landmark moment was overshadowed by a glimpse into Portugal's future.
Conceicao was introduced after 90 minutes and scored just two minutes later, capitalising on a rebound to send Portugal level on points with leaders Turkiye, who beat Georgia 3-1 earlier on Tuesday in Group F.
Robin Hranac's unavoidable own-goal had earlier cancelled out Lukas Provod's rocketed second-half opener before Conceicao announced himself on the international stage at the Leipzig Stadium.
Roberto Martinez's team were the only side to win every qualifying game for this tournament, with a perfect 10 wins from as many matches, and dominated the first half of their opener without reward.
Ronaldo almost marked his landmark appearance with a goal just eight minutes in but rushed an unmarked header in uncharacteristic fashion from Rafael Leao's whipped cross.
Bruno Fernandes angled a deflected long-range effort narrowly over as the one-way traffic persisted, before the Manchester United midfielder's teasing ball just evaded the lunging Leao.
Fernandes was again the architect when his delicate throughball found Ronaldo, who was denied by Jindrich Stanek's fantastic stop from point-blank range.
The Czechia goalkeeper was on hand once more before the interval, parrying away another fizzing Ronaldo strike as these two sides were the first to be goalless at half-time at Euro 2024.
Portugal completed 368 passes in that first-half onslaught, their most on record in a single half at the European Championships since records began in 1980, and little changed after the break.
Ronaldo tested the hands of Stanek with a dipping free-kick just before the hour, though Portugal were stunned soon after when Provod cannoned into the top-left corner from the perimeter of Diogo Costa's area.
Yet a response swiftly followed as Stanek parried Leao's downwards back-post header against Hranac, who could only deflect into his own net to level proceedings.
Diogo Jota had a late finish ruled out by VAR after Ronaldo was adjudged offside before his rebounded finish, though Conceicao pounced from Pedro Neto's left-wing cross to snatch all three points.
Substitute heroics save Ronaldo's landmark appearance
Ronaldo already holds the record for the most appearances in European Championship history (26), though this outing marked another historic moment for the 39-year-old.
Having featured at every Euros since his 2004 debut, Ronaldo is the first to go to six editions of the tournament, where his 14 goals make him the leading scorer in history.
The former Manchester United attacker could not add to his tally here, and it was a familiar tale at the Euros for Ronaldo, who missed the 2016 final victory over France after his gut-wrenching injury.
Eder stepped up as the extra-time hero on that occasion, and he was the last Portugal substitute to score at the Euros before Conceicao did so here.
Conceicao's goal came just 111 seconds after being introduced and marks the fastest such goal since Ferran Torres for Spain against Slovakia in June 2021 (41 seconds) – what an introduction for the Porto man.
Czech need more from Schick
Patrik Schick scored five of Czechia's six goals at Euro 2020, becoming only the second Czech player to be the sole or joint-top scorer at a European Championship tournament – after Milan Baros at the 2004 edition (five goals).
The forward has since lifted the Bundesliga title with Bayer Leverkusen last term, helping Xabi Alonso's side to an unbeaten league season with seven top-flight goals.
Considering his record at the Euros and the 2023-24 trophy-winning campaign, Czechia may want more from their star striker – who was withdrawn on the hour after being cautioned and failing to manage a single shot.
Yet with or without Schick, Czechia could have never prepared for Conceicao's late intervention. Ivan Hasek's side have now lost five straight games against Portugal and must bounce back when they face Georgia on Saturday.
Georgia 2-0 Portugal: Crusaders crash landmark Ronaldo outing to make last 16
Georges Mikautadze stole the show with a goal and an assist to send Georgia into the Euro 2024 knockout stages with a 2-0 upset against Portugal, tarnishing a landmark appearance for Cristiano Ronaldo.
Portugal captain Ronaldo became the first European player to make 50 appearances across the World Cup and Euros on Wednesday, but this Group F meeting belonged to Georgia.
Mikautadze teed up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's second-minute opener in Gelsenkirchen before himself coolly converting a penalty after the break, sealing Georgia's first ever win at a major tournament.
Willy Sagnol's side will be rewarded with a last-16 meeting with Spain on Sunday, while Portugal must improve for Monday's clash with Slovenia in Frankfurt.
Roberto Martinez's men were stunned almost immediately when Mikautadze slipped Kvaratskhelia through to hammer into the bottom-right corner with a left-footed drive.
Timed at just one minute and 32 seconds, that was the quickest goal Portugal have ever conceded at the Euros, and Martinez's side were slow to respond.
Ronaldo tested Giorgi Mamardashvili's hands with a thunderous long-range free-kick, while Francisco Conceicao angled wide from a tight angle and Joao Felix fired an optimistic effort over.
Yet Georgia went close to doubling their lead as Kvaratskhelia's inviting free-kick narrowly evaded Giorgi Gvelesiani, before Joao Felix's fizzing effort was held by Mamardashvili at the other end.
Ronaldo was thwarted at point-blank range shortly after half-time as Lasha Dvali produced a heroic diving block to deflect over from a prone position inside Georgia's six-yard box.
Kvaratskhelia rushed a glorious chance near the penalty spot moments later and swiped at thin air, but Antonio Silva's clumsy hack on Luka Lochoshvili allowed Georgia to extend their advantage.
Referee Sandro Scharer pointed to the spot after the VAR recommended an on-field review, and Mikautadze had no problem slotting past Diogo Costa's reach into the bottom-right corner after 57 minutes.
A frustrated Ronaldo was substituted with over 20 minutes to play before Nelson Semedo and Conceicao went close in the dying stages of an unexpected defeat, as Portugal limped into the knockout rounds.
Magic Mikautadze makes Georgian history
Remarkably, Mikautadze now leads the Euro 2024 scoring charts after finding the net in each of his opening three games in Germany.
Mikautadze is the ninth player to score in all three group matches at a single Euros, joining the likes of Michel Platini (1984), Ruud van Nistelrooy (2004) and Portugal's own Ronaldo (2021).
The omens for the rest of the tournament are positive, too, considering Georgia are just the second European side, after Greece in 2004, to claim their first win at the World Cup or Euros against Portugal.
Greece were 2-1 victors in the opening match 20 years ago against hosts Portugal before taking home the title by defeating the Selecao again in the final.
Concerns for Martinez
Much has been made of Portugal's star-studded attack, with Martinez boasting the likes of the record-breaking Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and dazzling Milan winger Rafael Leao.
Yet there are defensive issues that need arresting before the knockout stage begins.
Portugal have conceded the opening goal in two of their three group-stage matches at the Euros for just the second time, with Euro 2012 the other instance.
This defeat also marked Portugal's joint-heaviest Euros loss, alongside their 4-2 reverse against Germany at Euro 2020 and a 2-0 surprise upset against Switzerland in 2008.
Ronaldo makes European history with 50th outing at major tournaments
Cristiano Ronaldo has become the first European player in history to make 50 appearances at major tournaments.
The Portugal captain hit the impressive landmark in their Group F encounter against Georgia at Euro 2024 on Wednesday.
Ronaldo made his major tournament debut at Euro 2004, helping hosts Portugal on their run to the final before the shock defeat to Greece, and has been an ever-present in Euros and World Cup action since.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner eventually got his hands on an elusive Euros trophy in 2016, winning his first major tournament honour with the national side.
Ronaldo is no stranger to making history and has already broken records at this tournament – playing in his sixth European Championship aged 39.
Despite not scoring at Euro 2024 heading into the final group matchday, Ronaldo's assist for Bruno Fernandes in Portugal's 3-0 victory over Turkiye was his seventh in the competition, the most by any player.
Ronaldo is already the record appearance-maker at the Euros, with his start against Georgia his 28th game in the competition.
Only two outings have been from the bench, with both coming at the start of Euro 2004 – he scored his debut goal in the competition as a substitute in a 2-1 defeat to Greece in Portugal's opener.
That was the first of his record 14 goals – scored from 146 shots – in the European Championships, five more than France great Michel Platini, whose nine goals all came at Euro 1984.
The delayed 2020 edition was an individual best as Ronaldo scored five goals to win the Golden Boot award for the first time, sharing it with Czechia's Patrik Schick.
Though Portugal's all-time leading goalscorer has always proved a threat to any goalkeeper, he has also created 46 chances (including assists), managing five of those in the opening two matches of this edition.
Though a European Championship trophy added to Ronaldo's impressive career haul, the veteran forward has still not managed to get his hands on the World Cup.
The closest the 39-year-old came to lifting the illustrious Jules Rimet trophy remains when he made the first of his 22 appearances in Germany in 2006, helping Portugal to fourth place.
Like at the Euros, only two of his appearances at the World Cup have been off the bench, but those came in the most recent edition as Portugal were knocked out of Qatar 2022 by Morocco in the quarter-finals.
Over the course of five World Cups, the former Real Madrid star has scored eight goals from 102 shots, but only in one edition has he found the back of the net more than once (2018 – four).
Yet FIFA's top prize will not be on his mind now as Ronaldo and Roberto Martinez's men eye European glory.
Ukraine 0-0 Belgium: Wasteful Red Devils sneak through to face France in last 16
Belgium limped into the Euro 2024 knockout stages after Wednesday's goalless draw with Ukraine, setting up an enticing last-16 meeting with France.
Domenico Tedesco's side had several golden opportunities but were unable to make them count as Ukraine were eliminated from the competition on goal difference, as all four Group E teams finished level on points.
Romania's 1-1 draw with third-placed Slovakia was enough to send them through as group winners on goals scored, while Belgium finished second due to a superior goal difference.
Romelu Lukaku threatened to open his tournament account early on after being picked out by Kevin De Bruyne but failed to trouble Anatolii Trubin with his effort.
The Red Devils continued to dominate possession but failed to convert it into gilt-edged chances, with De Bruyne's inventive near-post free-kick the closest Tedesco's side came.
Ukraine posed a threat on the break, however, and almost took the lead when Roman Yaremchuk's cross narrowly evaded Artem Dovbyk in the six-yard box.
De Bruyne and Lukaku combined again in the second half, but the same result followed as the Red Devils' all-time top scorer saw his tame attempt easily gathered.
The introduction of Yannick Carrasco sparked Belgium into life, with his stinging effort palmed away by Trubin as they looked to find a winner.
Yet Ukraine went the closest late on as Ruslan Malinovskyi's audacious corner-kick almost caught Koen Casteels out at his near post.
However, the winning goal for both sides ultimately eluded them, with Belgium now facing the difficult task of facing the two-time Euros champions on Monday in Dusseldorf.
Data Debrief: Lack of clinical edge punishes the Red Devils
Belgium can only have themselves to blame after failing to capitalise on several promising opportunities, registering just four shots on target from 10 attempts, underperforming their expected goals (xG) by 0.28.
Lukaku's woes continued in front of goal and he is still yet to find the target at Euro 2024. The Belgium striker had the joint-most shots (two) and shots on target (two) but should have done much better with his opportunities.
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