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Portugal POR
2
Cristiano 30' (p), 59' (p)
France FRA
2
Benzema 46' (p), 46'
Finished

Portugal 2-2 France summary: score, goals, highlights, Euro 2020

Update:
23 June 2021, Hungary, Budapest: France's Karim Benzema celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 Group F soccer match between Portugal and France at the Puskas Arena. Photo: Robert Michael/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
 23/06/2021 ONLY FOR USE IN SPAIN

Portugal 2-2 France | Euro 2020 Group F

4

Euro 2020: Last 16 line-up

As you can see, tonight's exciting games had plenty at stake for not only those four teams involved but also several others. Here's the line-up for the first knock-out stage:

Wales vs Denmark

Italy vs Austria

Netherlands vs Czech Republic

Belgium vs Portugal

Croatia vs Spain

France vs Switzerland

England vs Germany

Sweden vs Ukraine

Group F: the final positions

After a number of twists and turns, the table has the expected look to it.

Full-time

Goals: Ronaldo (pen 31', pen 60'); Benzema (pen 45', 47)

90+6

Peep, peep, peeeep! The full-time whistle blows

90+5

Portugal almost renage on the unspoken plan and hit a long hopeful ball into the French area. A foul is called and that should be that...

90+4

Full-time has gone in Germany and these two sides are very aware of what that means.

France are popping the ball about and Portugal are letting them.

90+3

No penalty!

90+2

Ooooooooh! France are looking for a penalty. Fernandez seemed to have a strong hand on Coman as he ran around him.

Will VAR have a review? Yes it will...

90

We've got another five minutes of play to be added

89

Santos is on the side of the pitch and appears to be telling his Portugal defenders to keep knocking the ball around as the clock counts down.

The ball then goes out of play beside the experienced gaffer and his is in no mood to get it back into play quickly.

87

More changes

France sub: Griezmann (after just skying a decent chance) heads off, Sissoko comes on.

Portugal sub: the impressive Sanches is replaced by Oliveira

86

Portugal have stepped up their play a fraction but it's still Les Bleus who look more dangerous when going forward.

Ronaldo had a brief glimpse of goal but the ball was stolen off his toes before he could get a shot away.

Group F: as it stands

Since you asked...

83

Easy decision there for Mateu Lahoz to book Kimpembe. The Frenchman goes crashing through the back of Ronaldo in the middle of the pitch.

Not sure what he was thinking but both come away unharmed.

82

As France continue to knock the ball around, Portugal seem happy to allow them to.

And the news from Munich is that Germany have equalised. What a night!

It's worth noting that this is the first game in Euros history that has seen three penalties awarded.

You are following a historic feed!

79

Diogo Dalot comes on for the injured Semedo

77

Neat play ends with Coman feed down the right by Benzema. He puts in a dangerous cross but it's Neves that heads away for a throw.

Semedo looks hurt.

76

More control being shown by the French stars. Portugal are sitting back a little more than before but will want to get on the ball more than they are being allowed to in recent minutes.

Group F: as it stands

It's flipped again!

73

Two changes for Portugal

Bruno Fernandes on for Silva

Ruben Neves on for Moutinho

71

Sumptuous keep-balll from France ends up with Kounde wide on the right. His delivery is decent but the defence clears.

The ball finds its way quickly to the feet of Benzema who tries a spectacular curler but he can't get enough bend on it and it flies wide of the far post.

67

Pogba denied

Coman to Griezmann to Rabiot... the ball then finds Pogba who steps to his right and lets rip.

Patricio flies to his left and tips it onto the bar, before getting up and saving Griezmann's follow-up effort.

What a hit from the Man Utd midfielder. What a save from the Wolves keeper.

66

Coman is on as Tolisso heads off

63

Rabiot involved again but this time giving away a foul. What can we expect from the end of this game/group. It's edge of your seat stuff for several nations.

60

GOAL!! Ronaldo makes no mistake

Almost identical to his first and Lloris does the same.

What does that mean? Cristiano Ronaldo has equalled Ali Daei's all-time international record of 109 goals for his country

59

Penalty to Portugal!

Cristiano tries to lift over a cross from inside the area on the left and Kounde's arms are up and the ball catches one.

58

Cristiano and Varane battle for a high ball and it's the former Madrid player that ends up with a throw in.

57

Nice exchange of passes between Rabiot and Benzema down the left wing.

The second substitute looks like he wants to get his place back.

55

The pace has dropped a little from the frenetic as France now have a lead to manage. Portugal need to get the ball to their talent stars in the attacking areas.

Group F: as it stands

Yes, you are reading that right!

52

Rabiot is a pretty decent substitute for your last substitute.

51

Digne has been on just a few minutes but is already having to go off.

49

Cristiano leaps up to try and meet a deep cross but even he can't fly that high.

48

GOAL!! It's a quick review and the goal is given.

47

Benzema latches onto a lovely threw pass and slots home in-off the far post. Shame the flag is up for offside.

But wait...VAR is going to give this a check...

46

Immediately Sanches gets Portugal onto the front foot, bursting clear from his own half past two, three, four French challenges.

He lays it off to Ronaldo whose pass out to Silva is intercepted because it was too short...but he complained about his teammates anyway.

Peeep! We're off!

Half-time changes

France sub: Digne on for Hernandez

Portugal sub: Palhinha on for Danilo

Some fresh players getting set to come on for the second half...

Renato ruling

Group F: as it stands

Germany 0-1 Hungary

Portugal 1-1 France

First-half musings

An interesting half has just unfolded. The game started fairly balanced, with France looking slightly the more impressive from the opening minutes before Portugal came into it more and more.

Then came the mistimed punch from Lloris and the sweetly struck penalty from Ronaldo. From there, it was a much more imposing performance from Santos' men, while the French became more vulnerable and slack with the play.

But then, with a rare occasion post the goal, Les Bleus were awarded what seemed a very soft penalty. Benzema stroked it home and the closing seconds saw another change in the dynamic

Amazing the importance of confidence.

45+6

Peeep! Señor Mateu Lahoz brings the first half action to an end

45+4

We're past the three minutes of added time - mainly due to the complaints over the penalty, including a few words between the ref and Fernando Santos on the bench - and Mbappé goes down again under a challenge in the Portugal box.

Nothing given this time.

45+2

GOAL!! Benzema strokes it home

The Madrid man goes left, Patricio the other way. Very similar to the action we saw at the opposite end.

45

Penalty to France!

Mbappé is bumped out of the way in the Portugal area by Semedo. No body appeared to be claiming for anything but the whistle went.

The Portuguese players are incensed! It stands and Benzema steps up...

43

Moutinho doesn't get it past the wall. Very poor given the number of red shirts forward.

43

Jota switches play neatly with a ball to Silva on the right. The Man City winger pushes it forward for Ronaldo to try his luck against Kimpembe who ends up bringing him down clumsily. Free kick to the right of the area.

41

Moutinho looks to be in relative acres of space around 35 yards from goal. He shifts the ball forward and has a ping it's far enough wide for Lloris not to have to worry too much.

France have disappeared as an attacking threat since the goal.

40

Griezmann is the third Frenchman to see yellow. Silly and unnecessary from the Barça striker.

39

Jota and Sanches show some lovely touches in the middle of the park to keep control of the play as the white shirts scuttle around them desperate to get possession.

Much better today from Portugal.

38

It looks as though Bernardo Silva knows how to stop Mbappé sprinting away from him. He just grabs his shirt and didn't let go. Genius.

Lucky to get away with a booking.

36

Hernández follows Lloris into the ref's book. A tackle that doesn't make it into the training manual of 'How to...'

35

Cristiano is not happy with Jota there.

The Liverpool forward does brilliantly initially to break through the French line but tries to go it alone when his captain was moving into space on his left.

To be honest, the gap to pick Ronaldo out was tiny.

34

Moutinho picks up the ball on the right of the French area and tries his luck. In the end it's well off target but the Portuguese tails are certainly up right now.

Ronaldo records

As I mentioned in the build-up, the Juve man has personal milestones in play.

That's his fourth goal in the Euros the first time he's managed it, and his 108th for Portugal, leaving him just one shy of Ali Daei's international record.

31

GOAL!! Cristiano slots home

Lloris goes to his left, Ronaldo fires into the other side of the net.

28

Lloris booked for that challenge...but Pogba and co are not happy with the penalty decision and make their complaints heard.

28

Penalty to Portugal

The ball is played onto the six yard area and as Danilo tries to flick it in with his head he is caught by the elbow of Lloris square in the face.

That's a sore one for the Portugal man, and a spot kick for his captain.

27

Free-kick in a decent position here to Portugal after a loose challenge from Kante. The area is loaded.

24

Jota is the latest forward to be sought out by a long pass. It's intercepted by the French but it's clear that getting the two sets of talented attackers into play as quickly as possible is an agreed tactic.

22

Benzema battles his way through two challenges but then can't find a teammate with the pass as defenders surround him. It's great to see the Real Madrid man playing for Les Bleus alongside his countrymen.

20

Cristiano volley wide

A loose header away from inside the French area falls to Ronaldo who lines up his volley and smacks it off his laces. Just wide.

19

Both midfields sizing up each other and trying to find the holes to hurt them. Already a fascinating encounter, and with plenty at stake.

16

Mbappé denied

The PSG man is set racing free down the centre of the pitch and as he reached the edge of the area he tries one of those curling efforts we've seen so often before in Ligue 1.

Patricio is up to the task, though, and punches it away to safety. I predict goals soon.

15

Slick Portuguese

Moutinho appears to be wanting to get more involved here and starts to pull the strings in the middle of the park.

His pin-point pass cuts through the French defence freeing Jota to fire across a decent ball into the centre. It's just too high for his teammates but a Ronaldo's body shape suggested he was tempted by a bicycle kick. Next time, maybe.

Group F: as it stands

13

Tolisso gets one of those looks from the ref after pulling back Sanches in the middle of the park. No card shown but he won't get away with that again.

11

Crowd knowledge

The noise in the stadium rises and nothing is happening in front of me on the pitch.

Ah, Hungary have just taken the lead in the other game in this group, against Germany. That wasn't in the script.

8

Mbappe was sent out to take a corner which is handled well but then he gets to have a run from wide on the left.

The red shirts quickly close him down. They know the danger that he possesses.

6

Ronaldo header saved

It's the number seven's first real involvement and he manages to get a header lofting goalwards. Easy enough catch for the alert Lloris on the line.

4

Hernandez gets the ball into the area but it's dealt with well. Nice flow to the game already, suggesting the sides are going to be stretched at both ends.

3

Tolisso away. The midfielder sprints onto a long pass over the top from Kante and almost gets to it before it bounces through to Patricio.

Certainly direct.

2

After the early touches France hit down the right wing but quickly lose possession.

Portugal's turn to move their pieces into place.

1

Benzema knocks the ball back to Pogba and the French, all in white, get a few touches around the team.

It's all in their own half as Portugal sit back and shuffle themselves around.

Peeeeep! France get us underway.

 

Captains cuddle

Ronaldo and Lloris meet the officials in the centre circle and end their brief encounter with a hug.

It's almost time to go...

Anthem time

First up, a rousing rendition of La Marseillaise by the French.

Alons enfant de la patrie.
Le jour de gloire est arrivé.
Contre nous de la tyrannie.
L'étendart sanglant est levé...
etc and so on.

Portugal get their turn with A Portuguesa, one that starts slowly and finishes strong...

Cristiano lets out his usual scream at the end.

Players in the tunnel

Away from the news on the periphery of this game, it is almost time to get the action underway.

The two sets of players are in the tunnel, with lots of smiles covering the tension that must exist beneath.

"Mbappé has asked to leave PSG"

REAL MADRID

"Mbappé has asked to leave PSG"

In the news: Kylian Mbappé

While Kylian Mbappé has refused to discuss his future while on duty with France at Euro 2020, the subject continues to fill pages and air time in the French media.

Mbappé has yet to agree to a new deal at PSG that would extend his current contract beyond 2022, while Real Madrid are hoping to sign the French star this summer or next summer at the latest, when he could leave on a free transfer.

The latest news on the matter from France will be warmly received at the Bernabéu, with journalist Daniel Riolo assuring that the player has requested to leave PSG.

Full story

What every striker needs at the beginning of a competition is to score that first goal

Kylian and Karim have the chances. When one goes in, they will flow.

Antoine Griezmann, French goal-getter
IKEA launches "Cristiano" water bottle after Ronaldo Coca-Cola controversy

EURO 2020

IKEA launches "Cristiano" water bottle after Ronaldo Coca-Cola controversy

In the news: Cristiano Ronaldo

There may be a fair amount of doubt about the true impact the Juventus man's bottle moving stunt actually had on the share price of Coca-Cola - read this if you hadn't heard - but he's still such an influencer that IKEA have taken a leap at using his antics in their own marketing plans.

Fancy sipping from the 'Cristiano'? Here's how you can...

What they've said: Lloris

"We cannot calculate our efforts and the results to come," French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris said ahead of the game.

"I think that the goal is to play the match to win it in order keep up the good momentum and continue to gain confidence for the new competition that begins in the last 16.

"We had some difficulties against the Germans and the Hungarians. It will be difficult. This is high-level play, whoever the opponent is."

Les Bleus arrive

Masks on but you will almost certainly recognise these faces arriving at the Puskas Arena.

French connections

Deschamps has made three changes to his side that knocked at the door enough but couldn't manage more than a draw against the weakest team in the group Hungary.

Koundé, Hernández and Tolisso replace Pavard, Digne and Rabiot.

This, therefore, points to a tweak in the French formation as Tolisso is likely to push out onto the right as they set up as a 4-2-3-1... I'm pretty sure that did already in a recent tournament in Russia!

Portugal picks

There are two changes to personnel made by Santos as Bruno Fernandes and William are dropped to the bench, with Renato Sanches and João Moutinho coming in.

Despite boasting a wealth of attacking talent, the main man for Portugal continues to be Cristiano Ronaldo, and, after already taking Platini's all-time record, tonight he will be looking to set a new personal best for goals in a single Euros campaign.

Three on the board already, as he managed in 2021 and 2016. You'd be brave to bet against it!

Group F: as it stands

Before we consider the players that have been selected by Santos and Deschamps, let's remind ourselves of how the table looks.

I'm pretty sure that everyone will be out for the win tonight, but it's worth noting that they know (most probably) who'll face who in the Last 16.

First: Switzerland

Second: England

Third: Belgium

Would you manage the game differently based on this knowledge?

Starting XI: France

Lloris; Koundé, Varane, Kimpembe, Hernandez; Tolisso, Pogba, Kanté; Mbappé, Griezmann, Benzema.

Starting XI: Portugal

Patrício; Semedo, Pepe, Rúben Dias, Guerreiro, Danilo, Moutinho, Renato Sanches, Bernardo, Ronaldo. Jota.

It looks as though team news is reaching us...

Group F: the other angle

In the other game tonight, Germany, so impressive against Portugal and who gave a very decent showing in their opener against France, take on Hungary.

I'll be keeping a close eye on what is happening in Munich...although one thing that I won't see is a rainbow lighting around the stadium. Thanks for that UEFA!

The Benzema-Griezmann debate

Didier Deschamps believes Karim Benzema and Antoine Griezmann are developing a useful understanding in France's attack at Euro 2020.

An already enviable array of talent at Deschamps' disposal was bolstered by Benzema's return from a near six-year international exile ahead of the tournament, allowing the head coach to field a dream forward line of Griezmann and Kylian Mbappé alongside the Real Madrid striker.

The returns so far have been occasionally promising, if not prolific, with Mats Hummels' own goal the difference in a 1-0 opening win over Germany before Griezmann salvaged a 1-1 draw against group outsiders Hungary – his solitary shot of the competition so far.

In the latter match, Benzema passed to Griezmann on two occasions, receiving possession from the Barcelona man three times.

Against France, an instant understanding between Benzema and Mbappé was notable, as the Paris Saint-Germain superstar was found 12 times by his elder team-mate.

By contrast, Griezmann passed to Benzema once and received the ball from him on three occasions.

1

Portugal vs France: match preview

Five years after Euro 2016 final, Portugal and France will go head-to-head to renew hostilities in Group F in one of the most anticipated matches in the tournament.

Didier Deschamps’ squad remain at the top of the rankings despite being held to a 1-1 draw by Hungary, while Portugal are sitting third after a 4-2 defeat to Germany.

The reigning European champions will try to clinch one of the top two spots in the group of death, with an eye on the possibility of progressing as one of the best third-placed outfits. Portugal have never failed to make it out of the group stage during their previous seven appearances at the European Championships.

As for France, Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann and Karim Benzema will surely be aware that they will need to be more consistent up front than in their last game against Hungary.

France sit top of Group F and will progress in first place with a victory against Cristiano Ronaldo & co., although Les Bleus are guaranteed to finish at least third in the group and qualify.

Portugal vs France live: welcome

Hello and a very warm welcome to you wherever you are joining us from around the globe. We are bringing you another top clash from Euro 2020 and this one is lined up to be a cracker.

The reigning European Championship and World Cup holders meet at the Puskas Arena in Budapest in what will help determine the final places in Group F.

It was named the Group of Death for a reason, and what a way for it to finish. Our build-up starts here...