France moved to the Euro 2024 semifinal after defeating Portugal

In a thrilling Euro 2024 quarterfinal showdown, France emerged victorious over Portugal in a nail-biting penalty shootout, with Theo Hernandez sealing the win with a decisive kick.

The match ended goalless after 120 minutes of intense action. It will undoubtedly be etched in history as Cristiano Ronaldo's final appearance in the tournament.

During an intense Euro 2024 quarterfinal match, France defeated Portugal in a gripping penalty shootout, winning 5-3 after a goalless 120 minutes.

Theo Hernandez became the hero of the match, securing the winning kick.

France displayed remarkable accuracy with all its penalty kicks, securing its place in the last-four showdown against Spain.

Portugal's Joao Felix unfortunately missed his team's third kick, hitting the post.

France's long-awaited triumph in a shootout has finally arrived, following their heartbreaking loss in the 2022 World Cup final to Argentina and their disappointing exit from the last Euros three years ago, when Switzerland defeated them in the previous 16.

In the final of the 2006 World Cup, the team suffered a defeat on penalties against Italy, marking another significant tournament loss.

Mbappe, who failed to convert the decisive penalty against the Swiss, had already been substituted by Bradley Barcola during extra time before the shootout.

Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Youssouf Fofana, and Jules Kounde were among the players who successfully converted their penalty kicks for France.

Mbappe had a challenging evening, striving to find his top form in the competition. However, he seemed restricted while wearing a mask to safeguard his nose, which he fractured during France's first match against Austria.

While one player will have another opportunity to shine in the semifinal at 39, another player has likely competed in his last Euros.

In what marks his sixth European Championship, the player in question unfortunately fell short of increasing his already impressive record of 14 goals in Germany, as he struggled to find the back of the net in all five of Portugal's matches.

Despite scoring his penalty, Portugal's first, Roberto Martinez's team was eliminated after being unable to score a goal in over six hours of football.

In a thrilling match that ended in a goalless draw, the team managed to secure a victory over Slovenia on penalties in the last 16. However, their luck ran out in a disappointing game in Hamburg.

Both teams had failed to live up to their potential in their previous games at the tournament. France, in particular, had reached this stage without its players finding the back of the net from open play.

A gloomy night for Mbappe

Randal Kolo Muani earned himself a spot in the starting line-up after his impactful performance off the bench, resulting in the late own goal that secured Les Bleus' victory over Belgium in the previous round.

Eduardo Camavinga entered the field, taking the place of the suspended Adrien Rabiot in the midfield. Meanwhile, Antoine Griezmann assumed the role of a playmaker, positioned as number 10 behind Kolo Muani and Mbappe.

France has adopted a cautious approach, preferring to let their opponents take the initiative while relying on their solid defensive capabilities. However, they need help maintaining a high intensity when they have the ball.

The team had a lower possession rate in this match, resulting in a rather underwhelming game that did show some signs of excitement in the second half.

Portugal started to pose a threat with their midfielders making runs into the box. One instance was when Bruno Fernandes took a shot saved by Mike Maignan shortly after the 60-minute mark.

Vitinha had his chance soon after, capitalizing on Rafael Leao's well-placed pass. Maignan, showing great determination to keep a clean sheet, made an impressive save by denying a goal in open play at the competition.

He then swiftly reacted to prevent Ronaldo from scoring with a close-range back-heel.

In a crucial moment, France swiftly reacted as Kolo Muani executed a skillful one-two with Kounde and made a determined attempt at scoring. However, Portugal's hopes were dashed by an essential interception from Ruben Dias.

In a strategic move, Deschamps decided to substitute Antoine Griezmann with Dembele.

The substitution quickly paid off as Dembele created a fantastic opportunity for Camavinga. Unfortunately, the midfielder failed to convert it, sending the ball wide.

Following that, the match started to veer towards extra time, during which Ronaldo missed a promising chance from a pass by substitute Francisco Conceicao.

In a remarkable turn of events, France's captain was on the bench during the nail-biting end of extra-time.

As the tension mounted, Maignan's heroic save against Nuno Mendes in the dying moments of the grueling 120 minutes ensured that penalties would be the ultimate decider.

A dramatic scene occurred at the Portugal end of the Volksparkstadion. Maignan found himself unable to make a crucial save, yet ultimately escaping unscathed.

After an impressive performance in the previous round, Portugal's custodian Diogo Costa unfortunately could not replicate his success in saving penalties against Slovenia.