Euro 2020: Ronaldo’s Brace Sends Portugal Into Last 16, France Tops Group

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace from the spot kick to help holders Portugal squeeze into the last 16 of the European Championship after a 2-2 draw with France on Wednesday in a dramatic conclusion to Euro 2020 Group F.

World champions France won the group with one point from Germany (who are in second place), with Portugal third, level on points with Germany.

Ronaldo edged his side in front from the penalty spot, becoming the first European in World Cup and Euros history to score a combined 20 goals across the two competitions.

France striker Karim Benzema scored twice to put his side ahead but Ronaldo equalized from the spot to become the joint top scorer in international soccer history.

On the other side, Germany battled back to draw 2-2 with Hungary in Munich, eliminating the Hungarians, as Portugal held on in Budapest to book a last-16 clash with Belgium on June 27 in Seville. France will face either Ukraine or Switzerland in Bucharest on June 28.

There were 18 goals scored today across the four EURO 2020 matches – the most goals scored in a single day in European Championship history. 

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (21) became the first European player in World Cup and European Championship history to score a combined 20+ goals across the two competitions. 

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is the first player to score as many as five goals in the group stages of a single European Championship tournament since Michel Platini (7 in 1984), who is the only player to have scored more in a single group round. 

Aged 33 years and 186 days old, Karim Benzema became the oldest player ever to score more than once in a major tournament match for France (World Cup/EUROs), overtaking Zinedine Zidane (31y 356d) v England at EURO 2004.