Euro 2024-France beat Portugal 5-3 on penalties

HAMBURG, Germany -- This one is for Melbourne 2023. For Doha 2022. For Bucharest 2021. Even for Seville 1982. This is for all the other penalty shootout heartaches that French football, men's and women's, has suffered over the years.

On a gripping Friday night in Hamburg, Didier Deschamps and his resilient squad exorcised their long-standing demons. Even without their captain and talisman Kylian Mbappé, who was substituted at halftime of extra time due to a close-range header aggravating his recently broken nose, France displayed unwavering confidence and calmness. They went a perfect 5-for-5 on penalties, outclassing Portugal and finally putting to bed the nightmares of past shootouts.

Unlike in Qatar, where Deschamps once admitted he considered spot kicks a lottery and didn't make the team practice them, this time was different. France had meticulously prepared for this moment, practicing penalties rigorously before the Belgium game in the round of 16 and again before facing Portugal. Mentally and tactically, the players were more prepared than ever.

Eighteen months after falling victim to Emiliano Martínez's psychological games, it was Mike Maignan who turned the tables. The Paris-born-and-bred keeper made the Portuguese wait, exuding calm as he slowly took his position, setting the stage for France's victory.

Bradley Barcola, just 21 years old with only 18 months of professional football under his belt, stepped up brilliantly, taking his first-ever penalty in a shootout with poise. Ousmane Dembélé, whose entrance after 67 minutes decisively impacted the game, initiated France's path to victory by scoring the first penalty of the night. The rest, as they say, was history.

For the fourth time in the past five major tournaments, Les Bleus are in the semifinals. This remarkable achievement underscores Deschamps' legacy as arguably the greatest national team coach ever. With a World Cup victory in 2018 and reaching two more finals (Euro 2016 and World Cup 2022), he stands as a paragon of winning. His tactical acumen and unwavering faith in his squad's robust defense, led by Maignan and William Saliba, have been pivotal, with France conceding only one goal throughout the tournament – a Robert Lewandowski penalty.

The scenes of celebration were wild, with players embracing and exulting in their triumph. Deschamps shared a heartfelt hug and words with Roberto Martínez, marking yet another poignant moment in his storied career. Six years after besting Martínez's Belgium team in the 2018 World Cup semifinals, Deschamps once again ended Martínez's run in a major tournament. And 40 years after an epic 3-2 extra-time win in the Euro 1984 semifinals, France has once again shattered Portugal's hopes.