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Portugal exit Euros with pride, will return stronger: Martinez / Photo: © AFP
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Portugal exit Euros with pride, will return stronger: Martinez
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said his team lost with "pride" against France in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals on Friday, pledging they would come back stronger.
The Spaniard said his team put in their best performance of the tournament in Hamburg as France gained revenge for their 2016 final defeat with a 5-3 penalty triumph following a goalless draw after extra time.
"(We showed we are) a team that can suffer, but wants to win for the fans," Martinez told SportTV.
"We lost, but with pride, in the Portuguese style of giving everything."
Martinez said the team's younger players would improve as a result of the tense clash at the Volksparkstadion.
"Our players will grow a lot from this experience," continued Martinez.
"The personality, the chances, how we created danger in the final third.
"It was a performance that makes us look to the future with great pride."
The coach praised 41-year-old defender Pepe, the oldest player in the tournament's history, who appeared in tears at the end of the match.
"He was a warrior... what Pepe did today and in the tournament was exemplary," added Martinez.
Pepe said he would talk about his future with the national team at a later juncture.
"I'll have time to talk about my future, we have to get over this huge pain, we had the ability to win the competition, and now we have to lift our heads up," said the centre-back.
W. Winogradow--BTZ
