The 31-year-old winger, an important ambassador for Portuguese football for so long, is clearly annoyed at having to defend himself for heading immediately to the changing rooms after being substituted against England in the quarter-final.

He was bristling again on Tuesday when the subject was raised but with Wednesday's semi-final against the Netherlands fast approaching is relishing his final international challenge.

"I walked off because the coach had just taken me off," Figo shrugged when asked to comment on the incident for the third time. "I didn't commit any crime and I shouldn't need to be defended.

"I don't feel I have to prove anything. People know me very well now and I just have to give my best in the next game.

"Winning this for Portugal would be one of the most important things for me, though. I'm always going to fight to get Portugal into the final of a major competition for the first time. It would be a great honour and a privilege."

NO EXCUSES

Figo is not quite the player he was at Euro 2000, when his driving runs on the right helped Portugal reach the semi-finals where they lost on a golden goal to eventual winners France.

His performances so far at Euro 2004 have been consistent, however, and it would be a huge surprise if Luiz Felipe Scolari were to drop him from the starting lineup to face the Dutch.

David Beckham, who plays his club football with Figo at Real Madrid, complained after England's 6-5 defeat on penalties by Portugal that an inadequate training programme at Real had left him well short of full fitness at the end of the season.

Figo will seek no such excuse if Portugal are beaten on Wednesday but he did express sympathy for his team mate.

"I think I'm fit at the moment so I don't agree with David on that one," Figo said. "This year we did what we could. There are so many games in the season it's difficult to train more.

"David Beckham is my friend and I feel sorry for him but one of the two of us had to leave the tournament and it's better that it was England."