The forward lines of France and Portugal need to rediscover their scoring touch for their quarter-final meeting at the European Championship on Friday. Every little advantage will likely be crucial in a tight contest. The teams clash at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, marking their third meeting in as many Euro tournaments. This time, they’re chasing a semifinal slot against either Germany or Spain in Munich next week.
France has not scored from open play in its last five internationals, while Portugal has failed to find the net in its past two outings at Euro 2024. They needed a nerve-wracking penalty shootout to secure a last-eight place.
Despite their struggles, both teams boast world-class talent. Kylian Mbappe captains the French, while Cristiano Ronaldo brings his legendary status to Portugal. However, Mbappe is battling a broken nose in Germany, and at 39, Ronaldo’s powers are showing signs of waning.
Ronaldo’s frustration was evident when he had a penalty saved against Slovenia in extra time of the round of 16, leading to a tearful outburst. He bravely stepped up again in the ensuing shootout and converted successfully, allowing Portugal to edge through thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
Despite his recent drought, Ronaldo has been a constant threat, taking more shots than any other player at Euro 2024 (20 to Mbappe’s 15). However, he has not found the back of the net in his last eight tournament matches.
Portugal did score five goals in winning their opening two Group F games, securing qualification for the next round. They then rested key players for their last group fixture, resulting in a shock loss to Georgia.
Mbappe has scored one goal in the tournament, a penalty against Poland in his comeback after breaking his nose in the opening clash against Austria. France’s other two goals at Euro 2024 have come from opposition players: own goals from Austria and Belgium.
France’s coach, Didier Deschamps, attempted to address the attacking woes with a three-man strike force against Belgium, but it yielded limited results. Ironically, considering the attacking talent at their disposal, defense has been France’s strong point in recent weeks.
Ronaldo and the 41-year-old center back Pepe remain from the Portugal side that upset France in the Euro 2016 final. On the French side, Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud were in the starting lineup, while Kingsley Coman and N’Golo Kante were on the bench.
The two nations also met in the group phase at Euro 2020, drawing 2-2 in Budapest in a match where three of the four goals came from penalties.
The margins are expected to be tight once again, and the outcome could be decided by a moment of brilliance. Portugal is likely to rely on Ronaldo, while French eyes will be fixed on Mbappe to deliver a decisive performance.
