This will be the fourth meeting between Portugal and Czechia at the UEFA EURO since 1996 – only Italy and Spain have met on more occasions over that period (5, with a 6th upcoming at EURO 2024). Czechia won their first encounter in 1996 (1-0) whilst Portugal were victorious in the last two (3-1 in 2008, 1-0 in 2012).
Portugal have won each of their last four matches in all competitions against Czechia (10 goals for, 1 against), keeping a clean sheet in each of the last three.
Portugal are the only team to reach the knockout stages of the UEFA EURO at each of the last seven editions, a run stretching back to the 1996 tournament. In fact, Portugal have always progressed from the group stages at the European Championship (8/8).
Portugal were the only team to win 100% of their games in the EURO 2024 qualifying campaign (10/10). They also scored more goals than any other team (36) while attaining the best defensive record (2 goals conceded in 10 games).
Czechia are taking part in their 11th UEFA European Championship (Czechoslovakia included), including their eighth in a row, which is an uninterrupted streak since 1996; only Germany (14) and France (9) are currently on longer runs.
Czechoslovakia lifted the trophy in 1976, one of only two occasions that a EURO final has been decided on penalties (2-2 a.e.t. vs West Germany, 5-3 pens). As Czechia, they were also involved in the first EURO final to be decided by a golden goal (1-2 vs Germany, Euro 1996).
Since their first participation as Czechia in 1996, they have alternated between reaching the knockout phase and elimination in the group stages of the UEFA EURO (finalist in 1996, GS in 2000, semi-finalist in 2004, GS in 2008, quarter-finalist in 2012, GS in 2016, quarter-finalist in 2020).
Only two of Czechia’s last 24 matches at the UEFA EURO have ended in a draw (W10 L12), both of these coming against Croatia (2-2 in the 2016 group stages, 1-1 in the 2020 group stages).
Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for most games (25), most goals (14), joint-most assists on record (6 – since 1972) and most editions with at least one goal (5) at the UEFA EURO. The Portuguese international is also the European player with the most appearances at major tournaments, World Cup and EURO combined (47).
Since 1972, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored/assisted twice as many goals as any other player at the UEFA EURO: 20 in total (14 goals, 6 assists). Michel Platini is second on 10 (9 goals, 1 assist).
This will be Roberto Martínez’s fourth major international tournament as head coach, but his first with Portugal. He led Belgium to third place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and quarter finals at EURO 2020, before being knocked out in the group stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Patrik Schick scored five of Czechia’s six goals at UEFA EURO 2020. He was only the second Czech player to be sole or joint-top scorer at a UEFA EURO tournament after Milan Baros at the 2004 edition (5 goals).