Portugal played the first of three friendlies ahead of the European Championship in Germany starting later this month, beating Finland 4-2 in an entertaining match in Lisbon tonight.

In a controlled first half the Seleção built a 2-0 lead through goals by Rúben Dias and Diogo Jota (from the penalty spot).

Roberto Martínez made five changes at the break leading to a more anarchic second half, Bruno Fernandes and Finland’s Teemu Pukki both scoring beautifully taken braces for a 4-2 final score. 

Al Nassr midfielder Otávio is out of the 2024 European Championship. The 29-year-old midfielder, who has 20 caps for Portugal, picked up a muscle tear in his final club game of the season on Friday.  

Curiously it is another Brazilian-born midfielder, Matheus Nunes, who has been called up as replacement. 

Portugal’s squad has congregated at Cidade do Futebol on the outskirts of Lisbon as preparations begin for the 2024 European Championship in Germany, which starts in less than a fortnight.

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo and midfielder Rúben Neves have been given an extra week’s holiday and will link up with the squad next Friday, ahead of Portugal’s final pre-tournament friendly against the Republic of Ireland in Aveiro. 

• Portugal U17
• Rodrigo Mora

Portugal produced a sensational turnaround to beat Serbia 3-2 in the 2024 UEFA European U17 Championship semi-finals.

Cardoso Varela missed a great chance at AEK Arena before Serbia went ahead in the 22nd minute, Mihajlo Cvetković exchanging passes with Dusan Makević before finding the bottom corner.

Serbia doubled their advantage in the 37th minute when Cvetković picked out an unmarked Djordje Ranković, his shot slapped away by Diogo Ferreira with ball rebounding off Eduardo Felicíssimo and into the net.

The Equipa das Quinas were fortunate not to go 3-0 down when Aleksa Vasilić hit the post, the woodwork coming to their rescue again after the break when Ranković got past Ferreira and saw his shot bounce off the bar.

Portugal continued to waste chances before reducing the deficit in the 60th minute, Geovany Quenda’s free kick diverted into his own net by Aleksa Damjanović.

The equaliser eventually came in the 89th minute through Eduardo Fernandes, his low cross picking out Rodrigo Mora who netted his fifth goal of the tournament. There was more drama to come in added time, Edgar Mota’s deflected cross headed home by João Trovisco.