Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (Picture: AFP/Getty)

Portugal’s president and prime minister have congratulated Salvador Sobral after he ended Portugal’s 53-year wait for victory at the Eurovision Song Contest.

It was the longest barren spell in the competition.

Salvador Sobral’s entry Amar Pelos Dois (Love For Both) won with a record-breaking 768 points.

The country had never reached the top five before and today is a day of celebration in Portugal.

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa released a statement saying ‘when we are really good, we are the best of the best. Many congratulations to Salvador Sobral’.

Portugal’s Prime Minister Antonio Costa, took to Twitter to say ‘Portuguese history was made today at #Eurovision! Congratulations Salvador! Congratulations Portugal! #Eurovision’.

Salvador Sobral is expected to receive a heroes’ welcome when he lands in Lisbon this afternoon.

Portugal’s public broadcaster RTP will be broadcasting coverage of his arrival live on television.

They will begin preparations for hosting the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest this week.

It will be the first time the Eurovision Song Contest takes place there.

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Salvador Sobral’s Amar Pelos Dois was the stand-out performance of the night.

He overcame some strong entries from Bulgaria, Belgium, Sweden, Italy and the surprise of the night from Moldova.

Speaking about the victory, he said: ‘We live in a world of disposable music, fast food music without any content and I think this could be a victory for music where people make music that actually means something.

‘Music is not fireworks, music is feeling, so let’s try to change this and bring music back which is really what matters.’

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It is traditional for the winning song to be performed again at the end of the show, but Salvador invited his sister Luisa, who wrote the song, to perform it as a duet with him.

She stood in for him in rehearsals after his medical team treating his heart condition refused to let him travel to Kyiv for the full two-week rehearsal schedule.