Euro 2024’s second quarter-final is another blockbuster tie which pits 2018 World Cup winners France against 2016 European Champions Portugal.
Didier Deschamps’ men have managed to reach the last-eight without scoring a goal from open play. Two own goals and a Kylian Mbappe penalty have been enough to get them through testing matches against Austria, the Netherlands, Poland and Belgium. Their narrow win over Belgium in the last-16 lacked quality and excitement though the French will take heart from several missed opportunities and the fact Mbappe is due to rediscover his form since sustaining a broken nose.
In comparison, Portugal needed to come through a penalty shootout to defeat Slovenia in the round of 16. Roberto Martinez’s team struggled to create openings in their first knockout match with Cristiano Ronaldo in particular squandering good opportunities, including missing a penalty in extra-time.
The match will be a battle of generations with Mbappe taking on Ronaldo yet both sides will know improvements are needed if they hope to get the job done tonight.
Follow all the action from Portugal v France with our live blog below:
Portugal v France team news
Here are the line-ups for tonight’s quarter-final:
Portugal XI: Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Pepe, Mendes; Vitinha, Palhinha; Bernardo, Fernandes, Leão; Ronaldo
France XI: Maignan; Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Hernández; Tchouaméni, Kanté, Camavinga; Griezmann; Kolo Muani, Mbappé
Luke Baker5 July 2024 19:04
Line-ups
Team news is imminent. Will Ronaldo keep his place? How will France utilise Mbappe?
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 18:42
The France lesson behind Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Euro 2024 hopes
Didier Deschamps needs a lone trophy to finish a unique grand slam. He has won the World Cup and the European Championships as a player, the World Cup as a manager. Euro 2024 may allow him to complete the set; he would have done so already but for Portugal and for a team that may have out-Deschampsed Deschamps.
In the eight years since Euro 2016, when Portugal won their only major trophy, against France in France, the Deschamps way has become more apparent: it isn’t necessary to excel in a group stage or to make statements with the quality of the football. Games can be won by moments, clean sheets, set pieces, unlikely figures.
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 18:35
France v Belgium player ratings as late Jan Vertonghen own goal settles tight Euro 2024 tie
With Belgium sat deep, France struggled mightily to create clear chances despite controlling the contest, flashing a series of finishes wide and high but never looking particularly likely to break through.
But they finally struck five minutes from time, Randal Kolo Muanireleasing a shot at the end of a fluent passing move that took a healthy piece of Vertonghen’s knee to beat Koen Casteels in the Belgian goal.
Despite a French player still being yet to score from open play in Germany, Didier Deschamps’ side move on, while Belgium bow out after another major tournament disappointment.
But how did each player perform? Here are The Independent’s player ratings:
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 18:25
The piece of luck that sent dour France past Belgium and into Euro 2024 quarter-finals
The report from France’s last game…
Of course, it wasn’t pretty. Didier Deschamps won’t care. All that matters, the French coach would strenuously argue, is that they got there. That could be said about France’s winning goal and the very 1-0 last-16 winover Belgium it decided.
After 85 minutes of what had perhaps been the worst football in this tournament – outside, maybe, some of England’s games – substitute Randal Kolo Muani tried a speculative shot that was mishit off the ground and deflected off the unfortunate Jan Vertonghen and in.
The game maybe deserved that, but it’s arguable whether France did. An otherwise sensationally talented squad made their way into the quarter-finals by dour obduracy rather than any creativity or class. It may yet take them to ultimate victory, of course, but it doesn’t make much of it memorable. The most stirring moment of the game was a tackle by Theo Hernandez on Yannick Carrasco.
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 18:17
Jules Kounde’s stand against the rise of French nationalism is a piece of rare football bravery
It could be quipped that the game against Belgium actually had to end for a French player to do anything impressive, but this is too serious an issue. What’s more, before Jules Kounde spoke in the impressive way he did, the defender had already won man of the match in his country’s 1-0 over Belgium.
He had been superb in play. He then surpassed it with his words. Kounde was asked about the first round of the French legislative election results, which look set to bring the far-right National Rally into political influence. The 25-year-old had already posted some of his thoughts on social media, which could have been an excuse to deflect questions and point to those. Kounde wasn’t going for any of that. He feels this is too important.
“I was disappointed to see the direction France is taking, with strong support for a party against our values. The far-right party, National Rally, who are against freedom and are against our co-existence. That is my political position.”
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 18:10
Why is Kylian Mbappe wearing a mask for France against Belgium at Euro 2024?
The superstar forward was left covered in blood after suffering the brutal injury when his face collided into the shoulder of Austria defender Kevin Danso, later leaving the stadium in an ambulance.
Subsequent tests confirmed Mbappe did not require immediate surgeryand he returned to training two days later while sporting a protective covering in the colours of the French flag, alleviating concerns that he would be ruled out of the tournament.
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 18:05
Euro 2024 Golden Boot standings: Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala and more battle to be top scorer
Europe’s best strikers are vying for individual honours as well as team success as they aim to top the scoring charts at Euro 2024.
Footballing greats such as Antonie Griezmann, Fernando Torres, Alan Shearer and Gerd Muller are among those who have won the prestigious prize throughout the history of the Euros and the likes of Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Jamal Musiala and Romelu Lukaku are hoping to join them this time around.
Some players have got off to a fast start but others have still got plenty of work to do in order to challenge at the top of the standings as we advance through the knockout stages.
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 18:00
Euro 2024 power rankings: Rating all eight nations ahead of the quarter-finals
Euro 2024 is heading to the quarter-finals after an entertaining start to the knockout rounds saw eight more nations exit the tournament.
Spain were the only team to collect the maximum nine points in the group phase and they continued their impressive form with a 4-1 win over Georgia. Switzerland and Germany both progressed to the quarter-finals with 2-0 wins, but it was much harder work for France, England and Portugal who respectively required a late own goal, a very late equaliser/extra-time winner and a penalty shootout to go through.
Here, we assess how every Euro 2024 nation stacks up before the quarter-finals (these rankings are revised after each round of games).
Chris Wilson5 July 2024 17:50
Portugal v France referee: Who is Euro 2024 official Michael Oliver?
Oliver, aged 39, will lead a team that includes English officials Stuart Burt, Dan Cook and David Coote, as well as Polish official Szymon Marciniak, who refereed the 2023 Champions League final.
In 2010, Oliver became the youngest ever Premier League referee at the age of 25, and he is now among the country’s leading officials. He became a Fifa-listed referee in 2012, and has since officiated at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.
See below for the officiating team in full for Portugal v France:
Mike Jones5 July 2024 17:35