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Portugal v Wales background

Portugal are preparing for their seventh major semi-final and a fourth in the last five EUROs, while Wales – their opponents in Lyon on Wednesday – are at this stage for the first time.

Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo will face club-mate Gareth Bale
Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo will face club-mate Gareth Bale ©AFP/Getty Images

Portugal will look to make it to the final for the first time since their ill-fated adventure as UEFA EURO 2004 hosts, while Wales's improbable journey continues in Lyon.

Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time in a competitive game. Their only three previous meetings were friendlies, Portugal winning two to Wales's one.

• Portugal beat Wales 3-2 in a 1949 friendly but lost 2-1 two years later in Cardiff. Their most recent encounter was in Chaves in June 2000, a 3-0 Portuguese victory.

EURO facts: Portugal
• Portugal's last six EURO finals matches have ended in draws after 90 minutes; five at this competition, plus a 0-0 stalemate with Spain – preceding a shoot-out defeat – in the UEFA EURO 2012 semi-finals.

• Portugal drew 3-3 with Hungary in Group F on 22 June in their only previous outing in Lyon. It was a big night for two-goal Cristiano Ronaldo, who became the first man to score in four UEFA European Championships, and also the first to play in 17 EURO finals fixtures.

• Ronaldo could also become the first man to appear in three EURO semi-finals and (having scored in 2004 against the Netherlands) only the third to score in more than one after Viktor Ponedelnik and Valentin Ivanov, who both struck for the Soviet Union in 1960 and 1964.

• Portuguese clubs' record in seven UEFA games in Lyon is W2 D3 L2.

Coleman euphoric after Wales win

• Portugal are competing at their sixth consecutive EURO and their seventh in total. They are in their fourth semi-final in five editions, 2008 the only recent exception.

• Although this will be Portugal's fifth EURO semi-final overall, their sole victory was at home in 2004 – 2-1 against the Netherlands in Lisbon, with Ronaldo and Maniche scoring. They were beaten in 1984 (2-3 v France, aet), 2000 (1-2 v France, aet golden goal) and 2012 (0-0 v Spain, 2-4 penalties).

• Portugal also lost FIFA World Cup semi-finals in 1966 (1-2 v England) and 2006 (0-1 v France).

• Portugal's greatest EURO feat is getting to the final of UEFA EURO 2004 on home soil, where they unexpectedly succumbed 1-0 to Greece.

EURO facts: Wales
• This is Wales's first major semi-final. In fact, it is their first semi-final in any UEFA or FIFA tournament at any level for men or women.

• They have surpassed their previous best of a quarter-final place, secured at the 1958 World Cup – their only past championship experience – where they were eliminated 1-0 by eventual winners Brazil.

• Wales's previous best EURO performance came in 1976, when they went out to Yugoslavia 3-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals. They fell 2-0 in the first leg in Zagreb before a 1-1 draw in Cardiff.

• Until now the only Welsh team to feature in any UEFA semi-final were Cardiff City in the 1967/68 European Cup Winners' Cup, in which they lost 4-3 on aggregate to Hamburg.

• Gareth Bale notched seven of Wales's 11 goals in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying, providing two assists, meaning he scored or set up 82% of their goals. With three strikes and one assist at these finals, he has been a little less efficient – having had a hand in just 40% of the Dragons' ten goals in France.

• This is the first time a Welsh side – club or national – will play a competitive match in Lyon.

Coach and player links
• Current team-mates :
Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe with Gareth Bale (Real Madrid, 2013–)

• Former team-mates:-
Éder with Ashley Williams and Neil Taylor (Swansea City, 2015)

• Ronaldo, Bale and Pepe won the UEFA Champions League together for a second time with Real Madrid this season, having first lifted Europe's top club prize together in 2013/14.

Ronaldo: Portugal were worthy winners

• Ronaldo has netted twice in each of his last two games in Lyon – a 2-0 UEFA Champions League group stage success for Real Madrid at Olympique Lyonnais in November 2011, and the recent 3-3 draw with Hungary in the group stage.

• Ronaldo did not win – or score – in his first four appearances in Lyon (two draws with Manchester United, and a defeat and a draw with Madrid) before that maiden success in 2011.

• Portugal reserve goalkeeper Anthony Lopes plays his club football for Lyon.

Penalty shoot-outs
• Portugal have been involved in four finals shoot-outs, winning three and losing one, most recently overcoming Poland in their Marseille quarter-final on 30 June. At UEFA EURO 2012, they fell to Spain after a goalless draw, having won their previous two against England at the 2006 World Cup and UEFA EURO 2004.

• No team have won shoot-outs in successive matches at EUROs; Poland became the third side to lose one after winning one when they bowed out to Portugal in the quarters.

• Wales have yet to figure in a shoot-out.