Euro 2024: Portugal vs France tips and predictions - No thrills French send Ronaldo home crying

George Dempsey
2 July 2024

World Cup runners-up France will meet Portugal in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 on Friday night (2000 BST) and we’re predicting a win for Les Bleus.

Whilst France have been mind-numbingly efficient at Euro 2024, Portugal have been one of the chief entertainers for various reasons.

Les Bleus have conceded one goal in six if you include their warm-up matches but they’ve failed to capture the imagination going forward, scoring once in four tournament outings.

Portugal struck in the 92nd minute to beat Czechia 2-1, before dismantling Turkey 3-0 and losing 2-0 to Georgia, but they saved the best for the Round of 16.

Despite huffing and puffing, Roberto Martinez’s side couldn’t break Slovenia down. Most of the huffing came from Portugal’s talisman, later dubbed Misstiano Penaldo for missing from the spot.

That may be a harsh pun at the expense of a man who’s scored his last 13 and won everything at club level, yet his child-like tantrums throughout the match deserve it.

A sumptuous cross from Bernardo Silva looked tailor-made for Ronny, who mistimed his leap and barely made it off the floor.

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There were several occasions when football’s highest-paid player lined up a free kick with a degree of pomp that should have been left in the previous decade, only to fire over.

The team's inability to get behind Slovenia’s full-backs, coupled with a sick obsession with getting the ball to Ronaldo, won’t be so easy to get away with against a resolute French defence.

Despite underwhelming as a spectacle, no side has conceded fewer goals, kept more clean sheets or had more touches in the opposition box than France.

Kylian Mbappe has taken 34 of those, which shows they’re finding their main man in dangerous areas. The thought of him isolating Pepe in particular must be terrifying.

It’s easier to make a case for Didier Deschamp’s side. Even though they’ve been missing chances, they’re creating them in droves, and it feels like luck is on their side in Germany.

Team news

Ronaldo will start ahead of Bruno Fernandes in Portugal’s attack, but Rafael Leao could be replaced after a flat performance.

Pepe looked like a broken man and a couple of late slips nearly cost Portugal the match, but he should be fit to feature on Friday.

Aurelien Tchouameni has started France’s last three matches and was superb in the 1-0 win over Belgium so will keep his place at the base of the midfield.

Neither Marcus Thuram nor Randal Kolo-Muani have impressed so Mbappe could play more centrally with either Ousmane Dembele or Bradley Barcola filling in out wide.