EUROVISION'S 30 MOST CONTROVERSIAL MOMENTS. 
Part 29: 2017 (From A Winner to A Loser In The Same Evening).
Concludes tomorrow.

THE BIGGEST CONTROVERSIES

Of the

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST

(1956 - 2019)  

From its inaugural year, the Eurovision Song Contest has had more than its fair share of controversial moments. This is a special look back on 30 significant upsets in chronological order.

2017

From A Winner To A Loser In The Same Evening.

Portugal first participated in the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1964. As the decades passed, the country had become the least successful of all the ESC nations, not only had it never won, but no Portuguese entry had even finished in the Top 5! Finally, in 2017, Portugal’s fortunes changed. Salvador Sobral performed the Portuguese entry “Amar Pelos Dois” (Love For Both Of Us), which had been composed by his sister Luisa Sobral.

The tender ballad was easily Portugal’s best offering at Eurovision and it attracted immense popularity on the night. It accumulated 12 points from no less than 18 international juries. A dozen countries sent the maximum score (12 points each) in the televoting Portugal’s way. The Sobral siblings had finally provided Portugal with its first Eurovision triumph after 53 long years!

After all the scores are announced, it is customary for the winning act to reprise their entry and give a victory speech. Salvador Sobral came on stage, justifiably a national hero after breaking the Portuguese drought at the ESC. His speech shocked many viewers. His words were interpreted as an attack on Eurovision and some of his fellow competitors, dismissing other songs as "disposable". Swedish performer Robin Bengtsson and Romania’s Alex Florea hit back on social media. Both had competed in the Grand Final against Sobral.