Portugal v France: Euro 2020 – live!
- Live Group F updates from 8pm BST kick-off in Budapest
- Portugal’s ‘bus driver’ Santos hopes to find route to last 16
- Email Paul or tweet @Paul_Doyle with your thoughts
As has been mentioned one or a million ties in the buildup to this game, Cristiano Ronaldo is just two goals shy of Ali Daei’s international scoring record. Ronaldo has netted 107 in 177 games for his country. Not too shabby. Wonder how many goals Just Fontaine would have scored for France if injury had not curtailed his career (and if countries had played as frequently as they do these days): he struck 30 goals in 21 matches for Les Bleus, including five hat-tricks - one of them coming in a well remembered 5-3 win over Portugal in 1959. Although if we’re going to go retro, we must also tip our hats to the wonderful France-Portugal encounter of 1984, when Michel Platini was king ...
Santos has moved decisively to address the shortcomings that Portugal showed in midfield in their opening games, with Fernandes and Carvahlo replaced by Moutinho and Sanches. That should make Portugal more coherent and creative. Meanwhile, France have made three personnel changes - changing both their full-backs and replacing Rabiot with Tolisso in midfield. They also look set to make a slight adjustment to their formation, switching from a midfield diamond to 4-2-3-1 in an effort to get their high-grade frontline firing. That means that Portugal’s right-back, Semedo - who was overrun against Germany - will find himself having to try to keep tabs on Mbappé. Bon courage!
Portugal: Patricio; Semedo, Pepe, Dias, Guerreiro; Moutinho, Danilo, Sanches; Silva, Ronaldo, Jota
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