Football is cruel. Honestly, there’s no other way to describe that humid night in Hamburg. When the final whistle blew after 120 minutes of exhausting, tactical chess, the scoreboard at the Volksparkstadion still read 0-0. It felt like a stalemate between two giants who were too afraid to blink.
Portugal vs France Euro 2024 was supposed to be the "passing of the torch" match. We had Cristiano Ronaldo, the aging lion, and Kylian Mbappé, the heir apparent. But instead of a goal-fest, we got a defensive masterclass and a heartbreak that sent one legend into the shadows. France eventually moved on, winning 5-3 on penalties, but the stats don't tell the whole story of how close Portugal actually came to pulling it off.
The Stalemate Nobody Expected
Everyone wanted fireworks. What we got was a tactical grind. Portugal actually controlled most of the ball, ending the first half with 56% possession. They looked tidier, more organized. Vitinha was everywhere, and Rafael Leão was terrorizing Jules Koundé on the wing. But France? They were a brick wall.
William Saliba. Remember that name. He was the reason Ronaldo spent most of the night frustrated. Every time a cross came in, Saliba was there. Every time Portugal tried to break through the middle, Mike Maignan was ready. Maignan made two massive saves in the 61st and 63rd minutes—first denying Bruno Fernandes and then smothering Vitinha’s close-range effort.
France, meanwhile, was playing a weird game. They reached the semi-finals without scoring a single goal from open play in the entire tournament. Think about that. Two own goals and a penalty. That’s it. Against Portugal, they relied on a mask-wearing Mbappé who looked, frankly, miserable.
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The Mask and the Exit
Mbappé’s broken nose was the talk of the tournament. He looked uncomfortable. The mask limited his peripheral vision, and you could see him constantly adjusting it. He struggled. He was eventually subbed off in extra time, replaced by Bradley Barcola. It’s rare to see the world's best player sit out a penalty shootout, but he was spent.
On the other side, Cristiano Ronaldo was playing his final Euros. It’s heavy to think about. He had a golden chance in the first period of extra time—a cutback from Francisco Conceição that he skied over the bar. It was the kind of chance he would have buried a decade ago. It just wasn't his night.
The Penalty Heartbreak
When it went to penalties, the vibe changed. Portugal had just come off a shootout win against Slovenia where Diogo Costa was a hero. They felt confident. France, however, had a terrible record in shootouts. But records are meant to be broken.
- Ousmane Dembélé – Scored (1-0)
- Cristiano Ronaldo – Scored (1-1)
- Youssouf Fofana – Scored (2-1)
- Bernardo Silva – Scored (2-2)
- Jules Koundé – Scored (3-2)
- João Félix – Missed (Hit the post)
- Bradley Barcola – Scored (4-2)
- Nuno Mendes – Scored (4-3)
- Theo Hernandez – Scored (5-3)
João Félix hitting that left post was the moment the air left the stadium. He was the only one to miss. Theo Hernandez stepped up and coolly slotted the winner, ending Portugal's journey.
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Pepe’s Tears
The image that stayed with everyone wasn't the French celebration. It was Pepe. At 41 years old, he had been a titan. He went toe-to-toe with Marcus Thuram and won. He played 120 minutes of high-intensity football at an age where most people are nursing lower back pain.
When the shootout ended, Pepe broke down. He sobbed into Ronaldo’s shoulder. It felt like the end of an era. Two brothers-in-arms who had won the Euros in 2016, realizing that the journey was finally over. Ronaldo, who usually shows his own emotions, stayed strong for his friend. It was a rare, vulnerable moment in professional sports.
Tactical Insights and What Went Wrong
Portugal's manager Roberto Martínez stuck with Ronaldo until the very end. Critics argued that Gonçalo Ramos or Diogo Jota should have come on earlier. Portugal had the talent, but they lacked the finishing touch. They were "smart," as Pepe put it, but smart doesn't always put the ball in the net.
France's Didier Deschamps, ever the pragmatist, didn't care about being pretty. He cared about winning. His team was passive, allowing Portugal to have the ball, but they were lethal in their discipline.
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Key Takeaways for Fans:
- Defensive Prowess: William Saliba emerged as arguably the best center-back in the world during this tournament.
- The End of a Generation: This match confirmed the end of the Ronaldo/Pepe era in European championships.
- Mental Fortitude: France finally conquered their penalty "hoodoo," proving they could handle the pressure without their captain on the pitch.
If you're looking to analyze future matchups, pay attention to the high-line defense Portugal used—it’s high risk, high reward. Also, keep an eye on how France structures their midfield; even when they aren't scoring, they are almost impossible to beat because of the Kanté-Tchouaméni-Rabiot (or Camavinga) shield. For the next international break, look for Portugal to integrate younger strikers like Ramos more aggressively to find the goals that went missing in Hamburg.
Next Steps for Deep Analysis:
- Review the heat maps of Vitinha and Nuno Mendes to see how Portugal overloaded the left flank.
- Watch the replay of the 60th-70th minute—the only window where the game truly opened up.
- Compare Mike Maignan's positioning during the shootout versus Diogo Costa's to understand the psychological battle of the spot-kicks.