Portugal and France are scheduled to meet in the UEFA EURO 2024 quarter-finals on Friday 5 July. The match which will be played at the Volksparkstadion stadium, in Hamburg has got many people talking as of now.
Both Portugal and France haven’t been at their best at EURO 2024, but this mouthwatering matchup gives them a chance to really prove they’re serious contenders.
All the headliners in both teams will be ‘hunting’ for a win on the pitch, especially Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé whom the attention will generally be on.
Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa acted the hero against Slovenia with three saves in the penalty shoot-out, while France have kept three clean sheets in their four games up until this point.
As a matter of fact, the two teams have dazzled, despite the fact that France appears to have a little high ground in terms of ease in qualifying to this stage.
After a huge panic against Slovenia in the last 16, Roberto Martínez’s group currently take on a ‘solid’ France side. This will be a big test for Portugal and will require strategic changes.
As maybe without precedent for Germany, the Seleção (Portugal) will have to defend for extensive stretches. They may also have fewer chances at the other end, so they need to make sure they take them when they come, as they did against Les Bleus before.
This is a game that many would consider to be befitting of a final. The achievement France have accomplished in progressive competitions isn’t something to be underestimated, however there is a feeling that this side have more levels in their locker.
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After Belgium, profligacy in front of the goal has returned to the forefront of the narrative, and coach Didier Deschamps will need to address it if his team wants to defeat Portugal.
Meanwhile, Portugal coach Roberto Martínez and France’s Didier Deschamps have all spoken ahead of the match:
“We’re now focused and ready for France. They are very strong but might leave space behind the lines. They can cause problems, but hopefully we will create more chances. The tournament now has different details, because you can win on penalties and you can create moments of individual quality.”
Didier Deschamps:
“We’ve got the quality and talent, but there are a lot of teams that have that. At the highest level, there’s a need to be solid and work hard together. Everyone is progressing, and there’s a common denominator between all these matches: the athletic intensity being at the very highest level.”
