At the edge of the touchline, Antoine Griezmann does not want to see that. Wrapped up in his down jacket, located about ten meters from the rest of the French team bench united as one man, the world champion is overcome by monumental stress at the moment when his partners appear in front of Diogo Costa to go and strike their shot on goal. In the back of his mind there is certainly still this painful memory of the 2022 World Cup final lost to Argentina during this exercise.
But more than a year and a half later, the scar began to heal when Theo Hernandez placed his penalty in the top corner of the Portuguese goalkeeper, synonymous with qualification for the semi-finals of the Euro. All the players exult and do the sprint of their lives to congratulate the left side and Mike Maignan, the big man of the evening, immense in the French goal after having diverted multiple Portuguese chances. "We had such confidence in ourselves... The final that we lost in Qatar also helped us approach this one," confides Ousmane Dembélé.
And it goes on and on. After finishing second in group D and taking the scalp of Belgium (1-0) in the round of 16, the Blues dismissed Portugal (0-0 ap, 5-3 tab) on Friday, in Hamburg, in quarters. In search of a third continental coronation after 1984 and 2000, Didier Deschamps' men have a meeting with Spain, defeater of Germany (2-1 ap), on Tuesday in Munich. The winner will play the final on July 14 in Berlin.
Mike Maignan (8): As often since the start of the Euro, the AC Milan goalkeeper has long been weaned from balls. An unusual foot fault (15th). Maignan, however, reassured his defense on several occasions, such as this fist exit (54th). Above all, he put out the necessary display against Bruno Fernandes (60th). And he raised the bar again by making two saves in quick succession against the Parisian Vitinha and Ronaldo (62nd). Savior, once again. And again in the last minute of extra time (120th).
- The French national team, known as Les Bleus, has shown remarkable resilience and skill throughout the tournament. Their journey to the semi-finals has been marked by strategic plays and outstanding performances from key players, including Mike Maignan, who has been a cornerstone of their defense.
- The upcoming semi-final match against Spain promises to be a thrilling encounter, as both teams have demonstrated exceptional form. The anticipation is high, with fans eagerly awaiting to see if France can secure their place in the final and potentially claim their third European Championship title.
- The match will take place in Munich, a city known for its rich football history. The winner of this clash will advance to the final, scheduled for July 14 in Berlin, adding an extra layer of excitement to the tournament.
