France eliminates Portugal in Euro 2024 Quarter-Final showdown
In a tense quarter-final clash at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, Kylian Mbappe’s France triumphed over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in a dramatic penalty shootout, marking the end of an era for the Portuguese star in the European Championship.
The match, reminiscent of the Euro 2016 final, ended in a deadlock of 0-0 after regulation time, leading to a nerve-wracking penalty shootout where France emerged victorious. This result sets up a thrilling semi-final encounter between France and Spain, who earlier eliminated hosts Germany from the tournament.
Both Portugal and France entered the tournament as favorites but struggled to showcase their full potential throughout Euro 2024. Portugal, after securing wins in their first two matches, failed to score in their subsequent encounters against Georgia and Slovenia, highlighting their offensive struggles in the latter stages of the competition.
For Cristiano Ronaldo, this tournament marks his final appearance in a European Championship, ending a remarkable international career that spanned over two decades. The clash against France not only served as a pivotal moment in this tournament but also coincided with the anniversary of a historic encounter between the two nations at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where Zinedine Zidane’s decisive penalty sent France to the finals.
As the football world bids farewell to Ronaldo’s illustrious Euro journey, attention now turns to the upcoming semi-final spectacle between France and Spain, promising fans another thrilling chapter in Euro 2024.
