Euro 2024: A roller-coaster of emotions as France eliminate Portugal

Hundreds of Portugal fans in Lisbon went through a roller-coaster of emotions as their side suffered a penalty shoot-out defeat to France in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 on Friday.

Goalless after 120 minutes, the match went to penalties, with Portugal substitute Joao Felix hitting a goal post with his side's third spot kick.

Bradley Barcola and Theo Hernandez then slotted home their penalties to take 'Les Bleus' through to the semi-finals.

France ended Cristiano Ronaldo’s bid to win the title at his last European Championship by beating Portugal 5-3 in a penalty shootout to reach the semi-finals on Friday.

After the game finished 0-0 following extra time, Portugal substitute Joao Felix hit a post with the only miss in the shootout and Theo Hernández showed no sign of pressure by converting the clinching kick into the top corner.

It was a record sixth and final European Championship for the 39-year-old Ronaldo, who scored Portugal's first penalty in the shootout and ended up consoling fellow veteran Pepe afterward as the 41-year-old defender cried on his captain's shoulder.

Ronaldo's 20-year career in the Euros included the title in 2016 — when Portugal beat France in the final — and it remains to be seen if the five-time world player of the year will continue playing for his country through to the 2026 World Cup, when he will be aged 41.

The victory ended the recent heartbreak of Kylian Mbappé and France in shootouts, having lost in them at their last two major tournaments — in the last 16 at the Euros in 2021 and in the 2022 World Cup final.

Mbappé didn't even take a penalty in the shootout, having been substituted after the first half of extra time following a couple of knocks to his broken nose that was covered by a protective mask.

Les Bleus didn't need their star player, as Ousmane Dembelé, Youssouf Fofana, Jules Kounde and Bradley Barcola all found the net in the shootout — held in front of Portugal's fans — before Hernández's coup de grâce set off jubilant scenes for the French inside the stadium in Hamburg.

France will play Spain in the semi'finals after its extra-time win over Germany in Stuttgart, with Les Bleus staying on course for a third European Championship title after 1984 and 2000.

Didier Deschamps' team has reached the semi-finals despite no France player having scored from open play so far in the tournament.

Portugal exited having failed to score in either of its knockout games — the team beat Slovenia on penalties in the last 16 — and its final group match, leaving Martinez plenty of questions to answer.