It was always going to be this way, but now it is confirmed. Romance squares off versus pragmatism as Spain takes on France in the EURO 2024 semifinals.
Always, because that is how the quarterfinals brackets lined up on Friday. In Spain vs. Germany, it was once again the tournament’s two classiest tactical teams, trading blow for blow in a showcase for the beautiful game — just as they had done in the 2022 Men’s World Cup. And in Portugal vs. France, two more recent international trophy winners who both look reluctant to even try to unleash the full attacking potential of their star-studded casts.
In the early match, Spain swept aside the hosts’ dreams in a drama-filled affair. Each team looked the likelier to advance depending on the phase of the game, and even after Mikel Merino’s 119th-minute winner the Germans had one or two big chances to spin one more twist in the tale.
Portugal and France also went into extra time in a tale of two teams that seemed to almost refuse to score. Still, it took moments of heroics to deny each side their own moment of magic, as Spain had conjured, before 120 minutes.
Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano made a critical reaction block after Portugal worked the ball to Rafael Leão in a prime shooting position — rewarding the faith of France national team coach Didier Deschamps and proving that perhaps his Bayern chapter is far from over.
Or maybe it was not a lack of tactics but a surplus of goalkeeping excellent that kept this match scoreless. Diogo Costa versus Mike Maignan France surely made for the most exciting possible penalty shootout scenario in this tournament. The two keepers each made outstanding saves in regular and extra time. But once the shootout started, out came the shooting boots — outstanding strike after outstanding strike lashing into the back of the net.
In the end, Atlético Madrid’s João Felix hit the post, stretching to try and beat Maignan to the bottom left corner. And Theo Hernández, the AC Milan defender linked with Bayern this summer, fired home to send France through to meet Spain in Munich.
Now it is time to see who makes it on the other side of the bracket. Harry Kane and England take the field against Switzerland tomorrow — a matchup that itself pits Gareth Southgate’s tournament success against Murat Yakin’s tactical nous. And in the final match of the quarterfinals, it’s a Netherlands side yet to truly come alive against the tournament’s Cinderella story so far, Türkiye — who are set to lose stalwart defender Merih Demiral following a two-match ban from UEFA after flashing the symbol of a far-right organization.
Will the tacticos live on? Or is Deschamps’ reign of glory for France destined to continue? Tune in Tuesday to find out.
Looking for more thoughts and analysis of Germany’s crushing 2-1 loss to Spain? We have you covered with our Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show. We have takes on Julian Nagelsmann’s controversial starting XI, a rundown of the scoring and substitutions, and ideas on how this all fell apart in front of an absolutely electric crowd. You can get the podcast on Spotify or below: