France Edges Past Portugal in Dramatic Shootout, Ending Ronaldo’s Euro Dream

France clinched victory in a thrilling shootout against Portugal, converting all their kicks to win 5-3 after a goalless draw in their European Championship quarter-final on Friday. The decisive moment came when Theo Hernandez calmly stroked home the winning penalty, completing a flawless sequence for France after Joao Felix’s crucial miss hit the post for Portugal. The win sets up a tantalizing semi-final clash for France against Spain, scheduled for Tuesday in Munich. This match also potentially marks the end of Cristiano Ronaldo’s illustrious international career.

Portugal’s defeat likely marks the conclusion of Cristiano Ronaldo’s remarkable 21-year international career at the age of 39. Despite converting Portugal’s first penalty in the shootout, Ronaldo also had a notable miss among the night’s numerous opportunities. For France, the victory serves as redemption for their previous shootout disappointments, notably at the last Euros against Switzerland in the round of 16, and in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina.

Ousmane Dembele, Youssouf Fofana, Jules Kounde, and Bradley Barcola all successfully converted their penalties for France, securing their victory. The match started slowly but ended with a flurry of missed opportunities for both teams, with clear chances at both ends throughout the 90 minutes and extra time.

France advances to the semi-finals despite not scoring from open play in the tournament so far. Their progress has been aided by two own goals and a penalty in their previous four games.

 The French team has maintained a solid defensive record at Euro 2024, having not conceded any goals in open play. Goalkeeper Mike Maignan played a pivotal role in their quarter-final victory on Friday, making two crucial saves that proved decisive for his side.