The defending champions of the European Beach Soccer League are out. Portugal will not lift the trophy again this year. Their journey ended abruptly on Wednesday after Italy delivered a decisive 6-3 defeat. This second loss sealed their early exit from the semi-finals. Just days earlier, Belarus had already tripped them up in their first match.
In Viareggio, the Italian squad dominated the game. They held the lead for most of the match. Coach Mário Narciso’s team found no answer to their strength. Even Léo Martins, who scored two goals, couldn’t shift the momentum. His inspired performance was not enough to fight for a different outcome.
With zero points from two games, the Portuguese side is already eliminated. They still have one group stage match left. France awaits them this Friday at 1 PM. It will be a farewell game, a stark contrast to their usual glory. Portugal has won this competition a remarkable nine times before. Their last victory was just last year.