Portugal National Football Team vs France National Football Team Timeline

The Portugal national football team vs France national football team timeline depicts a history as historic as it is long and spans nearly a century. From early friendly matches, to the UEFA European Championship, to the World Cup, each game between these two hallowed giants of European football adds to the illustrious fabric of the ever-growing history of international football. In this blog, we will learn about how this rivalry has evolved, key matches, turning points, and trends that have developed between the two nations.

The Early Years: 1926–1930

Portugal and France have had a rivalry for almost a century. Their first match took place on 18 April 1926, where France hosted the game in France, and won 4 – 2. This game established the relationship between the two teams, a competitive, although often lopsided, match-up at the beginning. Portugal did not take this loss lightly. They returned on 16 March 1927 and defeated France at home 4 – 0, which established a balance between the two sides in these early games. The next three games, all played in the 1920s and 1930s, continued this mixed pattern:

29 April 1928: France and Portugal drew 1 – 1 in France.
24 March 1929: France again won at home 2 – 0.
23 February 1930: Portugal settled the score with a win of 2 – 0.

At this point of the historical rivalry between the Portugal national football team and the France national football team, the rivalry was still balanced, as both sides recorded wins and both sides seemed like promising teams.

Mid-Century Battles: 1940–1959

As Europe moved on from World War II, international football resumed with the Portugal–France rivalry shaping up.

28 January 1940: France narrow win over Portugal 3–2.
14 April 1946: Portugal returned the favour, winning at home 2–1.
23 March & 23 November 1947: France One (1–0) and one Lost (2–4).

But from 1952 to 1959, France was the clearly superior team

20 April 1952: France defeats Portugal 3–0.
24 March 1957: Portugal lost to France 0–1.
11 November 1959: France wins over Portugal 5–3.

To those matches, these registers would signify another turning point, where France assumed the clearly stronger position within the rivalry. Portugal was in a tough situation and could not produce consistency throughout this phase.

1970s-1980s: Change of pace

The 1970s represented a resurgence for the Portuguese side:

3 March 1973: Portugal won 2 – 1 away
26 April 1975: Portugal won again, 2 – 0 away in France.

Two friendly away results represented the start of a momentum shift for the Portugal team in the Portugal national football team vs France national football team timeline, but the French would respond:

8 March 1978: France won 2 – 0.
16 February 1983: France won 3 – 0 away in Lisbon.

Euro 1984: Classic

One of the most memorable encounters came in the UEFA European Championship in 1984 when they met in the semifinals on June 23. In one of the tournament’s classical games, France won the match against Portugal 3-2 after extra time. This game is often spoken of as classic and marked France as pattern of a European footballing power and likewise Portugal are recognized for their spirit.

1990s to Early 2000s: France in the Ascendancy

In the 1990s, France began to reestablish themselves in the rivalry:

24 January 1996 – France won 3 to 2 in a friendly.
22 January 1997 – France won 2 to 0.

Portugal had zero wins in the 1990s. As the early 2000s came along, this continued:

28 June 2000 – France beat Portugal 2 to 1 in the Euro 2000 semifinals on a controversial golden goal.
25 April 2001 – France delivered a 4 to 0 beating of Portugal in a friendly.

These were depressing for Portugal, because France was outplaying Portugal in the big matches, and they had been outplaying Portugal in friendlies too.

World Cup 2006: Semifinal Again

The two teams played each other again on 5 July 2006 the FIFA World Cup semifinals in Germany. Led by Zinedine Zidane, France won 1 to 0 on the penalty spot, eliminating Portugal from yet another chance at a historic final. This match only added to the heartbreak of the Portugal national football team vs France national football team timeline.

2010s: Portugal Begins to Find Its Feet

For Portugal, the opening few years of the 2010s were off to a rocky start:

11 October 2014: France won 2-1.
4 September 2015: France won 1-0 in Lisbon.
But all that changed in 2016.

Euro 2016: Redemption and Celebrating

On 10 July 2016 Portugal took on France in the UEFA Euro 2016 Final. The match was held in Paris, and most predicted that the host nation would take the title. Portugal endured much early adversity when their iconic player, Cristiano Ronaldo, left the match due to injury. However, Portugal held firm and in extra time, substitute Eder scored a stunning goal, giving Portugal a 1-0 lead and eventually, a historic first-ever major international title.

While Portugal’s winning the title was monumental for Portuguese football, it was also very significant in the timeline of games between the Portugal national football team and France national football team and represents one of the few significant victories against its long-time adversary.

2020–2021: Nations League and Euro 2020

The rivalry continued in the UEFA Nations League and Euro 2020:

11 October 2020: 0–0 in France.
14 November 2020: France won 1–0 in Lisbon.
23 June 2021: 2-2 in Euro 2020 group stage.

These results represent a significantly easier balance in the rivalry and Portugal no longer looked like underdogs. Particularly the Euro 2020 match represented the quality and determination of both sides.

Most Recent Encounter: Euro 2024

On 5 July 2024, the history of the Portugal national football team and the France national football team saw its most recent match in the UEFA European Championship. This match finished at 0–0 after regulation time, but Portugal was eliminated after losing on penalties. The match displayed the defensive strengths of both teams, but once again added a win to France’s tally—albeit through penalties.

Head-to-Head Overview

From the initial encounter in 1926 to the most recent in 2024, the head-to-head statistics show that France is firmly ahead of Portugal. Throughout a little over 30 games or so, France has won a good number of those, especially the competitive ones such as the Euros and World Cup. However, despite their overall poor record against France, Portugal has that Euro 2016 final win, which is the primary piece of evidence that we can use to justify a narrative-change.

Summary of Results:

FRANCE WINS: 20

PORTUGAL WINS: 6

DRAWS: 3

Notable Themes in the Rivalry

1. Championships

The tournaments, whether Euros or World Cups, have produced the most exciting chapters in the rivalry. The semi-finals and finals added excitement and significance to the matches.

2. Golden Generations

France’s golden period in the end of the 1990s and the early 2000s and Portugal’s golden years in the middle of the 2010s helped construct the rivalry. Zidane, Henry and Platini versus Cristiano Ronaldo, Figo and Eder… Icons personified these encounters.

3. Tactical Revolution

The nature of the encounters is far from the free-flowing self-indulgence of the friendly matches between the two teams at the start of the 20th century to the more cagey, tactical approach of contemporary football, although the rivalry has reflected that evolution of the global game also.

Conclusion

The Portugal national football team vs the France national team timeline tells a great story of two European footballing nations engaging in one hundred years of battle that is filled with passion, heartbreak and joy. France have had more success across the century, but Portugal’s determination especially during their Euro 2016 success has earned respect and a place in the rivalry.

Looking ahead to the next tournaments, one thing is for certain, when Portugal and France meet, history is guaranteed.