Netherlands and Portugal are through to the finals of the inaugural UEFA Nations League and will entertain the fans on Sunday for the tournament’s decider. Both teams needed an extra gear in the odd minutes to eliminate their respective opponents on their way to contend for the title.

The tournament’s hosts Portugal secured a berth in the final following a 3-1 victory over Switzerland on Wednesday. Cristiano Ronaldo made his first appearance in the competition and bagged a hat trick to send his country through. On the other hand, the Netherlands team needed two extra-time goals to beat England 3-1 after both sides tied 1-1 in at stoppage time.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s brilliance
You can hardly rule him out in any game, simply magnificent. The Superstar f.orwarder returned to the international platform with a bang! The entire nation needed him, and he stepped up entirely at the Estadio do Dragao. Ronaldo gave Portugal the lead with a stunning free-kick in the opening 25th minute of the game. Ricardo Rodriguez levelled for the visitors in the 57th minute from the spot.

Switzerland controlled most of the game and appeared more likely to score the winner, but Ronaldo squeezed the ball into the corner of the net with two minutes to stoppage time. The striker added the third right at stoppage time to seal the victory for the host nation. Ronaldo now has 53 hat-tricks for both club and country. He also took his international tally to 88 after playing 57 matches and sits second on the all-time international top scorers chart. The best goal scorer we will ever see in this generation.

The class of Frank De Jong
Not many young players can boss a midfield comprising of the English talent and experience, but Frank de Jong did just that. The Dutch midfielder showed why he deserves to sit among the best midfielders in this generation and for the future. At 21, the youngster quickly exploited England’s weaknesses in the middle by making interceptions and key passes. His composure and decision making with the ball reminisce the golden generation of Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta’s working rate.
De Jong. Who has recently signed for Barcelona, completed more passes (105) than any other player in the game. He also made the most touches (128), tackles (5) and recoveries (13) on the pitch. The Dutch will undoubtedly need his services to lift the Nations League.

England’s international miseries continue

There were growing hopes among England fans ever since Gareth Southgate took charge. Most of them believed in him that he would make drastic changes and help the nation win trophies. Yes, the changes are evident, but the titles keep fading in dreams. Southgate blended the old squad with young, aggressive and talented players, and the result was perfect. Watching England play now is different from some time back. There is a sign of a new atmosphere, team spirit and beautiful football. They almost concurred World Cup but fell short at the semi-final before losing to Belgium in the third-place play-off. Generally, they won hearts of those who doubted them and were now serious contenders for the next international tournament.

Barely a year later, came the Nations League, another platform to mend their mistakes and end the merciless hoodoo. Again, the progress was good until they were one step away from the final. This time the Dutch that stood their way, not Croatia. It was the same World Cup story, scripted in a different event. Marcus Rashford’s penalty in the 32nd minute gave England the lead and hopes. De Ligt equalized with a superb header in the 73rd minute as both teams held on to extra time. Kyle Walker’s own goal and a neat finish from Promes all but secured the victory for the Dutch, condemning their opponents to yet another disappointment at the big stage. They bowed out despite fighting their way to extra time. England will now face Switzerland for third place, at least with the hopes of making a step ahead from where they left. If this is the count, then expect England to finish second in Euro 2020 and then win the World Cup in 2022. Well, this is football.

Who will win the UEFA Nations League between Netherlands and Portugal?