Portugal head coach lauded the performance of his side against France despite losing out 5-3 on penalties in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, describing the defeat as “cruel,” Soccernet.football reports.
The two European powerhouses remained inseparable after 120 minutes of football with neither side able to find the back of the net so it went down to penalties to decide who would face Spain in Munich next Tuesday.
Joao Felix saw his spot-kick come off the post, giving Theo Hernandez the opportunity to send Les Bleus through to what is set to be their fourth semi-final appearance in the last five major tournaments.
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Speaking after the game, Martinez praised Portugal’s performance, insisting that his team were the better side on the night.
“We have to be proud of our players because they fought and performed very well,” he said.
“Football can be cruel. We wanted to give joy to the Portuguese people and the message is that the team gave everything and showed Portugal’s values.
“It was a good game and France is a good team. We had more ball, we created opportunities, but we lacked precision and we needed to score a goal.
“We had a lot of opportunities, but it was a game of high technical and tactical level.”
After the final whistle in Hamburg, veteran defender Pepe was brought to tears and had to be comforted by Selecao skipper and former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.
Pepe, with 140 appearances for his country, became the oldest player to compete in the European Championships and has likely played his last match for Portugal.
“Football is cruel and sadness is part of it,” Pepe said.
“We were aiming to win for our country and bring joy to our people. Five days ago we won on penalties and now we lost on penalties. It’s cruel.
“The most important thing is to congratulate my colleagues for their commitment to the game.”
