Euro 2024 update: Didier Deschamps’ team secures a spot in the final four with a shootout victory. Kylian Mbappe was substituted during extra time, while Theo Hernandez scored the decisive penalty. According to Bongdalu, Cristiano Ronaldo also converted, but his final Euros campaign concluded in defeat. France will face Spain on Tuesday at 8pm.

Theo Hernandez sealed France’s victory with the decisive penalty, as Portugal’s Joao Felix hit the post during the shootout after a goalless draw. This result sets up a Euro 2024 semi-final clash between Didier Deschamps’ team and Spain.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who had been moved to tears during Portugal’s last-16 victory over Slovenia, showed no such emotion this time. Despite converting his penalty, the 39-year-old’s last Euros campaign concluded in disappointment. At the final whistle, he was seen consoling his remarkable 41-year-old teammate Pepe.

Ronaldo was mostly on the periphery during the tense match, although opportunities arose for both teams to snatch victory in the second half of regular time. France’s Mike Maignan made two crucial saves to deny Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha, followed by stopping Ronaldo’s attempted backheel. Meanwhile, Randal Kolo Muani’s shot was blocked by Ruben Dias at one end, while Eduardo Camavinga narrowly missed the target from close range at the other.

Substitute Ousmane Dembele came close to scoring in the dying moments of regular time, hitting the post. In extra time, both recent European champions opted for a cautious approach. Ronaldo had a half-chance that was cleared over the bar, while Pepe and Dayot Upamecano celebrated crucial defensive blocks as if they were goals.

The standout moment of the extra time was Kylian Mbappe being substituted at halftime due to a facial injury sustained earlier in the match. Despite his discomfort and wearing a protective mask for a broken nose, France’s star player opted to step off the field before the shootout. Nevertheless, his teammates were flawless from the penalty spot.

Only Joao Felix failed to convert his penalty, striking the post, which gave Hernandez the opportunity to secure France’s spot in the final four and set up a clash with Spain in Munich on Tuesday.

Ronaldo center stage again – but was this his curtain call?

Despite the presence of superstar Kylian Mbappe on the field, all eyes were on Cristiano Ronaldo. His penalty kick during the shootout epitomized the drama that surrounds him: the tense anticipation, the distinctive run-up, and the jubilant celebration after he powerfully struck the ball into the net.

However, while he has been instrumental in Portugal’s two shootouts during the knockout stages of this Euro campaign, his impact during regular play has been less remarkable. He appeared isolated in this match and failed to capitalize on the few half-chances that came his way.

As Portugal struggled to connect in the attacking zone, Goncalo Ramos — renowned for his hat-trick after stepping in for Ronaldo as a starter in the World Cup — and Diogo Jota remained on the bench, likely pondering when they would be called into action. However, Roberto Martinez opted not to make the substitution.

The Portugal manager remained loyal to Ronaldo until the end. This could potentially mark his last appearance at a major tournament. Ronaldo’s final Euros concluded without scoring a goal during gameplay, signaling to observers outside the Portugal camp that it might be time to transition to the next generation.

It wasn’t the prettiest, but France managed to find a path to success.

It’s not just England fans who are disappointed by their team’s lack of exciting football in this championship. France supporters must be feeling similarly frustrated. Remarkably, Les Bleus have advanced to the semi-finals without scoring a single goal from open play.

They seldom appeared likely to break that peculiar goalless streak against Portugal.

Didier Deschamps’ team displayed a passive approach, allowing Portugal to dominate possession for extended periods. When they did manage to advance into the opponent’s half, there was a noticeable lack of cohesion among what has previously been a formidable attack. Kylian Mbappe, their star player, appeared to be struggling—his substitution in the middle of extra time highlighted this. Surrounding him, there was a noticeable absence of determination or urgency from his teammates to push forward aggressively.

Ousmane Dembele demonstrated the necessary drive off the bench and is likely vying for a starting spot against Spain. France must rediscover their attacking edge in the final third if they aim to reclaim the European crown in this tournament.

Tchouameni said: We don’t care if we don’t deserve to go through

France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni stated, “Regardless of whether it’s deserved, we aim to savor this victory. We acknowledge imperfections both in attack and defense, that’s a fact.”

“We take our knocks, and rightly so at times. But we won’t dwell on it; we’re focused on the semi-finals against Spain. Everyone has their say, including you journalists doing your job.”

Pepe said: Losing like that hurts; we deserved better

Portugal defender Pepe expressed his dismay to Record, stating, “The defeat is painful. Finding words to describe our performance is difficult. Considering our efforts, we deserved a better outcome, but such is the nature of football. Just days ago, we celebrated our success in penalties, and now we feel the sting of defeat. Despite executing our strategy effectively, football can be unpredictable.”

“We encountered Slovenia and the Czech Republic in our last two matches, both employing a defensive low block that posed significant challenges. Our strategy focused on stretching their defense wide. Today’s match promised a more open playstyle with a faster tempo, similar to Turkey’s approach against us.”

“I had hoped to progress further in this tournament. The embrace carries great significance… it’s too soon to discuss it now as the pain is still raw, but there will be opportunities for that later. There will be time for me to consider what lies ahead. Right now, we must overcome this immense disappointment. We had the capability to win the tournament, and now we must find the strength to move forward.”