Efforts by former World footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, to increase his European medals to two before retirement has suffered a major setback after France eliminated Portugal on penalties during the Euro 2024 edition.
Portugal was eliminated after being unable to convert all its penalties as against France who.slotted all its kicks in and progressed to the Semi-final stage on 5-3 aggregate.
During the game played on Friday in Hamburg, both team couldn’t convert their chances even within the 30 minutes extra-time spent.
After the end of 120 minutes, the referee pointed to the penalty spots as the final stage to determine the quarters-final encounter between both teams.
During the penalty shootout, Ronaldo and Bernardo Silva converted Portugal’s first two spot kicks while France players did same through Ousman Dembele and Yousouf Fofana.
But at the third kick, France and Barcelona defender, Kounde, slot his kick into the net but Joao Felix hit a post with a penalty, putting his team under pressure.
Although, Portugal converted next kick successful but Barcola and Theo Hernández ensured that France progressed to the next stage of the tournament, converting both the clinching kick and the one before.
France lost in penalty shootouts at its last two major tournaments — in the last 16 at the Euros in 2021 and in the 2022 World Cup final.
The 39-year-old Ronaldo has said this was his record sixth and last European Championship.
France will play Spain in the semifinals after its extra-time win over Germany in Stuttgart.
