Cristiano Ronaldo's coach and team-mates praised his leadership after Sunday's Nations League final win over Spain in Munich.
The triumph, which left the five-times Champions League winner in tears, was Ronaldo's third on the international stage, accompanying his 2016 European Championship and 2019 Nations League winners' medals.
Goals from captain Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise earned France a 2-0 victory over Germany in a playoff on Sunday as they finished third in this season's Nations League.
The final [Monday, 1am Bangladesh Time] in Munich has been framed as a showdown between veteran Ronaldo, 40, one of the game's biggest names, and 17-year-old Yamal, the most exciting young talent in world football.
Yamal bagged a brace while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France's makeshift defence to ribbons.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez and midfielder Bernardo Silva praised Cristiano Ronaldo for his "hunger" and "ambition" after the 40-year-old striker continued to defy the years with a 68th-minute winner against Germany on Thursday, which booked a spot in Sunday's Nations League final.
Ronaldo's 68th-minute tap in, a record-extending 137th international goal, sealed a first win over Germany after five losses, the 40-year-old's longest streak against any national side without tasting victory.
Tournament hosts Germany face Portugal in Munich on Wednesday, followed by defending champions Spain taking on 2021 winners France in Stuttgart on Thursday. The winners will meet in Sunday's final in the Bavarian capital.
Yamal and Dembele have been crucial for club and country this season and the prestigious golden ball trophy could end up with one of them in September during the ceremony in Paris.
Lamine Yamal scored a brilliant goal but also missed a penalty on another night of growth for Barcelona's teenage star as Spain reached the Nations League semi-finals.
The moment came in the 36th minute of the second leg in Dortmund. With Germany already ahead, captain Joshua Kimmich was poised to take a corner. Italy’s defence, mid-conversation, and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, steps away from his line arguing with the referee, were anything but ready. But Urbaniak was.
Reigning European champions Spain overcame the Netherlands in dramatic fashion, winning 5-4 on penalties after a breathtaking 3-3 draw in Valencia. Following a 2-2 stalemate in the first leg, the tie remained delicately poised.
Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty but later scored a crucial goal, before Francisco Trincao's late double set Roberto Martinez's men on course for the semis.
Speaking on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s showdown at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium, De la Fuente hailed the depth of Spain’s footballing pipeline, calling it “inexhaustible.”
The Al-Nassr striker was highly critical of himself and his team's performance in the first leg in Copenhagen, where Portugal lost to a Rasmus Hojlund goal, but he is confident the home crowd can play a key role in turning the tie around.
Germany are in prime position to host the final stage of the tournament after coming from behind to beat Italy 2-1 in Milan while Rasmus Hojlund fired Denmark into a slender first-leg lead against Portugal.
The second leg is in Dortmund on Sunday.
"It's been completely normal for us. He is following his precepts, his rules, as he is following them at his club (Barcelona)," De la Fuente said during a press conference ahead of Spain's first-leg tie in Rotterdam.
But ahead of Thursday's first-leg clash in Croatia, Mbappe said he was "delighted to be back with the group".
