France triumphed over Portugal in a dramatic penalty shootout to secure their place in the Euro 2024 semi-finals after a tense match in Hamburg.
Theo Hernandez clinched the victory with his decisive penalty, following Joao Felix’s miss that hit the outside of the post, marking the only error in the shootout.
The French players immediately rushed to celebrate with their fans, while a disheartened Portugal team, who had previously won a shootout against Slovenia, acknowledged their supporters with applause. This match marked the end of an era for Portugal’s captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who had announced that this would be his final European Championship.
The much-anticipated duel between 39-year-old Ronaldo and France’s Kylian Mbappe did not live up to expectations as neither player made a significant impact.
Ronaldo successfully converted his penalty, while Mbappe, who was wearing a mask due to a broken nose, had to be substituted in extra time after sustaining a blow to the face, preventing him from participating in the shootout.
The match itself was closely contested with few clear opportunities.
Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha were both thwarted by French goalkeeper Mike Maignan, and France’s Randal Kolo Muani saw his shot deflected narrowly wide by Ruben Dias. Eduardo Camavinga also missed a golden chance, sending his shot wide from close range.
During extra time, Ronaldo had a prime opportunity to score but sent Francisco Conceicao’s cutback over the bar, leaving fans in disbelief. Portugal’s luck finally ran out as they faced their second shootout in consecutive games.
France now advances to face Spain in the semi-finals in Munich, with the match scheduled for Tuesday at 20:00 BST.