Key events
In other news, the Copa América hosts USA went out at the group stage after an extremely controversial defeat to Uruguay, whose winning goal looked offside to the naked eye. Team VAR thought otherwise.
France 1-0 Belgium
Here’s Sid Lowe’s report on another day of underwhelming success for France.
Deschamps suggested that this was all part of the plan, proud of a team he said had not fallen into the “traps” the Belgians laid for them. Getting here, he said, was something worth celebrating. After all, it is not so easy and they might not have done.
Ronaldo: I was at rock bottom
Here’s the great man’s reaction to last night’s melodrama.
Even the strongest people have their bad days. I was at rock bottom when the team needed me most. I was sad at first but now I’m happy. That’s what football is. Moments, inexplicable moments.
When I think of my family, I feel emotional because they are unique moments that I cannot express in words. They are people I love, the fans who are always with us and especially with me, and I am very happy about that.
I hadn’t missed a penalty kick all year. At this moment I missed it, but the most important thing is that the team won. I lost twice on penalties this season and won the third time. Sometimes football is fair and sometimes just, but we deserved to qualify.
I will always give my best for this shirt, whether I fail or not, but you have to take responsibility. I have never been afraid to face things head on. Sometimes I do things right, sometimes I don’t, but giving up is something you will never hear from me.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to our daily Euro 2024 news blog. We’re down to the last ten: France and Portugal reached the quarter-final yesterday, and the last two places will be decided by today’s fixtures:
Yesterday’s games were relatively boring but highly dramatic. France beat Belgium with a late own-goal from Jan Vertonghen; and Portugal, as predicted, beat Slovenia comfortably – but only in a penalty competition after a fraught goalless draw. All three of Slovenia’s kicks were saved by Diogo Costa.
Cristiano Ronaldo managed to both enhance and diminish his reputation. At times his desperation to score turned the game into a bit of a farce. But after having an extra-time penalty brilliantly saved by Jan Oblak, a moment that reduced Ronaldo to tears on the field, he showed extraordinary mental strength to score with an unsaveable penalty in the shootout.
Here’s what Jonathan Wilson made of it all.