Euro 2024 quarter-final hits and misses: Is time up for Cristiano Ronaldo at major tournaments for Portugal after France defeat?

Ronaldo centre stage all yet again – but changed into once this his curtain call?

Even with celeb Kylian Mbappe on the pitch, attention is drawn in opposition to Cristiano Ronaldo. His penalty shootout space-kick summed up the theatre which surrounds him. The dramatic intake of breath. The staggered flee-up. And the mountainous event when he impressively thumped the ball in.

However whereas he can also fetch done his phase in Portugal’s two shootouts in the knockout stages of these Euros, his contributions all over traditional play fetch been less convincing. He changed into once isolated here and spurned the half of-potentialities after they did reach his manner, hacking the most easy of them over in further-time.

• Portugal 0-0 France (France won 5-3 on penalties) – Match list and response
• How teams lined up | Match stats

With Portugal failing to link up in the final third, Goncalo Ramos – who famously scored a hat-trick when he modified Ronaldo as a starter on the World Cup – and Diogo Jota fetch been sat on the bench presumably wondering after they may procure a dash. The nod from Roberto Martinez never came.

The Portugal manager stood by Ronaldo till the very marvelous. And in all likelihood this would be the final time we stumble on him at a fundamental tournament. His final Euros has ended with out an in-sport goal and a demonstration – to observers from outside the Portugal camp at least – that it is time to pass on to the next technology.
Peter Smith

It wasn’t slightly but France procure a manner thru

So it be no longer correct England supporters who are lamenting their facet’s lack of thrilling soccer at these championships. France fans can also aloof be feeling exactly the identical. Extremely, Les Bleus fetch reached the semi-finals with out practical one of their gamers scoring once from originate play.

They rarely seemed admire ending that uncommon drought against Portugal.

Didier Deschamps’ facet fetch been so passive, allowing Portugal to manipulate possession for long sessions. Once they did procure the ball in the opposition half of, there seemed minute concord between what has confirmed to be a devastating attack in the past. Huge title man Kylian Mbappe clearly is no longer upright – his substitution midway thru further-time indicated that. However round him there appears to be like a lack of conviction or commitment to dash for it from his team-mates.

Ousmane Dembele did at least indicate that required force when he came off the bench and is with out a doubt pushing for a beginning characteristic against Spain. Indisputably France, if they’re to reclaim their European crown, will wish to procure some final third spark at some level on this competitors.
Peter Smith

Germany No 9s cost them semi-final space

There’s plenty to admire about this Germany team. Antonio Rudiger is a chief on the abet, Manuel Neuer aloof has goalkeeping prowess, fluid formative years equivalent to Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane on the assorted stop?

• Spain vs Germany – Match list and response
• How teams lined up | Match stats

However why wasn’t it to be? Why changed into once this a first-ever quarter-final exit at a European Championship?

Maybe the one facet missing changed into once clarity in the No 9 characteristic. Kai Havertz changed into once a magnificent link-up participant but didn’t score from originate play in the tournament. Niclas Fullkrug seemed inspiring and scored a pair, so why wasn’t he beginning? It felt off.

When it mattered, every failed in the mountainous moments. Havertz overlooked two mountainous potentialities at 0-0. Fullkrug generated 0.99 price of xG from his six potentialities – and ended up scoreless.

Germany’s time will most likely reach all yet again. As above, there are a huge likelihood of positives. However correct admire in 2006 when Fabio Grosso and Italy struck dead on German soil, it feels admire a likelihood overlooked.
Sam Blitz

Now not going hero Merino follows in father’s footsteps

A dead equaliser from Germany in traditional time, a dead winner from Spain in further-time. This one took a whereas to procure going but when it did, my observe it changed into once pulsating.

This in actuality changed into once a case of two European heavyweights slugging it out with 39 fouls on this match, the most in a single Euros fixture since Croatia faced Portugal in 2016.

Spain fetch been on their knees when Wirtz struck, but their pedigree saw them over the line. It’s miles now six instances they’ve reached the semi-finals on the European Championship, with handiest Germany (8) taking part in more in the tournament’s history.

Mikel Merino didn’t yelp pulses racing all over his time at Newcastle, scoring once in 25 appearances sooner than being shipped out to Precise Sociedad after correct one season.

Merino’s father Angel scored for Osasuna in a second-round UEFA Cup tie in November 1991 at Stuttgart. Mikel mimicked his event from that evening as he danced around the nook flag in the identical stadium, 33 years on for his nation.

That is the class of global soccer. His jump if truth be told reminded me of Tim Cahill, legs unfold admire a frog, twisting his neck as he ghosted in the abet of Rudiger to yelp his header into the nook.

The Spaniards fetch been in imperious originate at this tournament in recording five straight wins. Replicating the achievements of 2008 and 2012 is coming into inspiring level of curiosity.
Ben Grounds