UEFA Euro 2024: Who Is Francisco Conceicao, Portugal's Hero Against Czechia?

Francisco stepped onto the pitch at the end of regulation time and turned the match on its head with a winner for Roberto Martinez's side. The goal was also his first in international colours, which secured three vital points for Portugal in their Group F encounter.

He even earned plaudits from his coach Roberto Martinez. The Portugal boss told reporters: "He deserves it. He always works with one eye in front of the goal, he sniffs out goals.

"He was the fireworks we needed today."

Portugal completed 368 passes in the first half of this match, their most in a single half of football at the European Championship finals on record (since 1980), without finding any reward.

Who Is Francisco Conceicao?

Conceicao is the son of former Portugal footballer Sergio Conceicao, who was his country's hat-trick star at the Euro 2000, against Germany. Francisco made his international debut in March this year.

Conceicao was born in Coimbra, Portugal and started playing football thanks to his brothers, Moises and Rodrigo, at Belenenses. He then moved to Sporting Lisbon's academy in 2011 at the age of eight, where he would go on to spend six seasons.

His early days were spent at FC Porto after moving out of Lisbon academy and in 2021, made his senior team appearance. Conceicao won the domestic double, Primeira Liga and Ta?a de Portugal before moving to the Netherlands with Ajax in 2022.

However, Ajax's troubles and lack of game time there saw him return to Porto where he returned to his old self, scoring and creating eight goals and also won the Ta?a de Portugal.