Thomas Siniecki, Media365: published on Tuesday February 3, 2026 at 9:16 p.m.
Fourth in the World Cup in October 2024, the French were defeated by Argentina (3-2). Sixteen months later, the step is even higher.
Portugal, along with Brazil and Spain, is the best in the world of futsal, and has been for many years. So, for coach Raphaël Reynaud and as the saying goes, the objective has been achieved and now it’s just a bonus: “A mountain stands before us, but we also have arguments to put forward. We have worked so that this meeting marks the history of French futsal. Portugal will be favorites, but we have the weapons to shake them up and push them to their limits.” The Selecçao is a double reigning champion, she was also world champion in 2021, in short it is not the same planet. The Portuguese, who exploded Belgium 8-2 in the quarters, occupy second place in the FIFA rankings (behind Brazil).
Braz: “All I have to do is let my players play”
France, certainly in constant progress, remains tenth and the Blues have lost the three matches played against Portugal in their history. But there hasn’t been one since 2019, so… Since his arrival in August 2021, the project for the big man of national futsal was to reach this semi-final of the Euro: “I am extremely proud of the entire team, the staff and all the players. But we are still in the race, so we will do everything to get better. We are always hungry.” The French team, if it will be deprived of its pillar Abdessamad Mohammed, expelled in the quarter-finals against Ukraine (4-2 ap) and therefore suspended (for having conceded a penalty by saving the ball with his hand on his line), can remember the surprisingly early elimination of the Portuguese during the last World Cup, from the round of 16.
But coach Jorge Braz has regained “total confidence”: “All I have to do is let my players play. We can win by being Portugal and being faithful to the way we play.” While specifying, nevertheless, that “the past and the future do not count, only the present will be important”. And congratulating France in passing: “It is very important that such teams reach this level, its Federation is doing an excellent job.” Like a little pat of encouragement behind the neck. It will still take a lot more to be taken seriously, but that’s good, the opportunity is perfect.
