(AFP) – Portugal rejoiced at the same time as social networks rejoiced at the victory of singer Salvador Sobral in Ukraine, who on Saturday offered his country the first crown in the Eurovision competition.
“When we are in very good condition, we are the best of all. Congratulations to Salvador Sobral,” President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa wrote in a letter addressed to the 27-year-old singer.
“A page of history has been written in Portuguese this evening at Eurovision. Bravo Salvador! Bravo Portugal!”, Prime Minister António Costa welcomed on his Twitter account.
Salvador Sobral, who has heart failure and is awaiting a transplant, won the competition with a melancholy jazz piece called “Amar Pelos Dois” (For Love for Two) which he sang in his own language, a rare occurrence at Eurovision.
Even the Benfica Lisbon football team took care to congratulate Salvador Sobral and broadcast his song using giant loudspeakers while its fans were still celebrating in the streets of the capital the Portuguese champion title that they had won a few hours earlier. “And we are not the only winners of the evening…! Bravo Salvador Sobral!”, the club responded.
The young singer's victory was also welcomed beyond the borders of his country. After being tempted by the Portuguese candidate's sober performance, Internet users exploded in joy the moment he won.
Under the hashtag #Salvador or #Salvadorable, hundreds of Portuguese and fans from all over the world rejoiced, honoring “the artist who really sings”, “the inspiration of music” or “the young man full of simplicity and talent”.
Even before the competition ended, Brazilian singer Caetano Veloso believed that Salvador Sobral deserved to win “because he is very good.”
British writer JK Rowling, author of the famous Harry Potter saga, expressed her joy on Twitter by saying, “Yay Portugal” after her favorite candidate won.
