France take on Portugal in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 on Friday (9pm). For the occasion, former Portugal international Costinha took part in the prediction match, and gives us his views on the Blues v Portugal match.
It was there, in 2004, that a young Cristiano Ronaldo broke down in tears after his team's defeat in the Euro final against Greece. Costinha, a Portugal international from 1998 to 2006, will have a special match on Friday, as the former Monaco international spent four years in Ligue 1. Close to French football, but closer to the Seleção and Cristiano Ronaldo (who sent him a message of encouragement before the clash with the Blues), Costinha does not hide his excitement for what he believes should have been a “final”.
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Kostina, how do you envision this match on Friday?
A very close match, as is usual with Portugal and France matches. They are the two big countries in this tournament, with very strong teams. It will be a match that will be played in detail, with no one leaving space for influential players like Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Leao or Bernardo Silva. I am looking forward to the match, for me it was the final, but unfortunately it was the quarter-final.
Is there a favorite between these two teams?
No. If I spoke Portuguese I would say Portugal of course… but there is no favourite. Both teams have the ability to win this match.
What will be the keys to the meeting?
Firstly, the goalkeepers Mike Maignan and Diogo Costa. The level of the strikers is very high so both should be good, rather the Portuguese goalkeeper than the French one (laughs). Mbappé-Cancelo will also be interesting. Will (William) Saliba and (Dayot) Upamecano give space to Cristiano Ronaldo or not? Everyone says he is not the same anymore, but if the ball falls in the box, there is a 99% chance of scoring. The key will be in midfield. The French midfielder is strong, with N'Golo Kanté, Aurelien Tchouameni and Antoine Griezmann maybe at number 10… We are also the opposite of Palhinha, Vitinha and Bruno Fernandes… How will they find the spaces to find the players up front?
Vitinha continues to make a good impression since the start of the Euros…
Exceptional. He has grown a lot. He started very strongly at Porto, then he went to PSG and has done amazing things. Very comfortable with the ball, goals, passes, inserts himself in the area… He can play as a number 6, even if he doesn't have the fight of Palhinha or Manuel Ugarte who are more physical. But he is an intelligent player, the coach can put him anywhere and he will know how to understand the game and give the best for the team.
In Portugal, are we afraid of Kylian Mbappe?
No fear. But we know that if you give Kylian Mbappé a chance to play 1 on 1 it is difficult to stop him and you will suffer. But anyway you look the other way, it is the same thing. In attack, France are incredibly strong. More than marking Kylian Mbappé, you have to know how to cut off lines of players who can give the ball away.
On the other hand, there is Cristiano Ronaldo. Many say he is too old to tell the difference…
It's good to think like that! Maybe he will wake up. He is 39, almost 40, so it's normal. The most impressive thing is that at his age, he still has that desire and in the game he is still scary, you see all the players around him not letting him play. Even at 40, he won't lose his qualities, he doesn't have the same power, but in his positioning, his ability to find the net… he is still very dangerous. Everyone says he is old: but how many players has he left standing next to him, marking him?
When we see his tears against Slovenia, it reminds us of his tears against Greece in 2004, when you were with him. How do you explain that he still wants to win so much?
Easy. It's not the desire, it's Ronaldo who says to himself 'I missed a penalty that could have qualified us'. It's the weight on him. It's human to fail. He didn't contain (his emotions). That's why the tears came, it's the desire to continue to please all the Portuguese people.
Are there characteristics of the young Cristiano Ronaldo that you still find today?
The younger Cristiano Ronaldo was more energetic, then more precise and more framed. His main quality is desire, and he hasn't lost it. When you lose it, you can do anything. I even see him pressing in the last few games, doing his best to win the ball. He understood that this might be his last big tournament with the selection, and he wants to finish it well.
So what are your predictions for the Euro quarter-final?
Close game, maybe on penalties. Could end in a draw or a scenario where whoever scores doesn't fall behind, hopefully France 0, Portugal 1.
