Portugal U21 vs France U21 Preview & Prediction | 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship | Group Stage
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We have two of the giants of European international football meeting in their 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship opener as Portugal take on France in Trencin.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Channel 4 / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – Channel 4 / US – Disney+ & ViX
Key stats
- The only previous U21 EURO final tournament match between these teams was a 1-0 victory for France in the 2006 group stage.
- Portugal are three-time U21 EURO runners-up (1994, 2015, 2021).
- This is Portugal’s fifth U21 EURO final tournament participation in the most recent six editions.
- Portugal won nine out of ten matches in qualifying for the 2025 finals (L1)
- Portugal have lost only two of their last 13 U21 EURO group matches (W8 D3).
- Portugal’s Fábio Silva was the top scorer in qualifying with eight goals, he is one short of the overall record of 15 U21 EURO goals (including qualifying) jointly held by Lampros Choutos (Greece), Tomáš Pekhart (Czechia) and George Puşcaş (Romania).
- 1988 champions France are making their fourth successive U21 EURO final tournament participation.
- France have reached two quarter-finals and one semi-final in the last three editions of the tournament
- France have never failed to qualify from their group at a U21 EURO final tournament.
- France have won 13 of their previous 15 U21 EURO group matches. The exceptions are a 0-0 draw against Romania in 2019 and a 0-1 defeat vs Denmark in 2021.
- France have never conceded more than one goal in a group match at the finals. They have kept ten clean sheets in their previous 15 group fixtures.
Portugal U21 vs France U21 prediction
Portugal, coached by former Sporting CP left-back Rui Jorge, boast a squad that consists of the likes of Eduardo Quaresma, Rodrigo Gomes, Paulo Bernardo, Mateus Fernandes, Geovany Quenda and Tiago Tomas. They most recently suffered back-to-back losses during the March international break against Romania and then England.
They now face a France side that, as ever, have a remarkably deep and impressive squad, under the management of Gerald Baticle. Les Bleuets perhaps have the most stacked squad in the tournament, albeit they are missing the likes of Malo Gusto, Enzo Millot, Rayan Cherki, Warren Zaire-Emery, Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola and Hugo Ekitike.
France’s squad is not quite as strong as it could have been but the depth in French football remains remarkably impressive and they would have to be viewed as favourites for this opener.
Portugal U21 vs France U21 tip: France to win
