Portugal 1-0 Netherlands
There is a reason why Portugal are European Champions.
Obviously having the best player in world football helps.
Yet Cristiano Ronaldo not only delivers when it matters most but also inspires others to raise their game – even those who are just the level of a mere mortal (something the boy from Madeira ceased to be sometime ago now).
Why else would this squad have achieved what it has because, on paper, most people would agree this Portugal side is not as collectively talented as arguably half a dozen other international sides and much larger nations.
It is, of course, because of that voracious trophy-hoovering hunger that Ronaldo possesses and who could argue he didn’t deserve yet another as he lifted the inaugural Nations League.
This week the Portuguese newspaper Diário de Notícias carried an article suggesting this Nations League is worth €150m (£130m) to the Portuguese economy – but only if Ronaldo plays. Without Ronaldo the brands hang back, the TV interest wanes, even ticket sales would fall.
Fortunately for all of them, they still have the most amazing athlete on planet football on their side.
All things have an end point. Ronaldo will be 35 years old by the time the next major final comes around for club or country.
But for now, all of us SBOBET fans should treasure this remarkable individual.
Highlights of the game
The Nations League betting odds saw little to separate these two and it proved that way with both evenly matched and chances at a premium.
As for the Nations League highlights that matter, the closest to a goal in the opening period came when a 12th minute corner was played short to Bruno Fernandes whose cross-cum-shot whistled just past William Carvalho’s head.
Portugal were pressing and well on top but the Dutch, without mustering one effort on target in the first 45 minutes, were standing firm.
Into the second half and, after an initial flutter from Ronald Koeman’s men, Portugal came closest to scoring again after persistence from Ronaldo and Ruben Dias forced the first of a series of corners during a spell of home pressure.
For all their superiority, Portugal needed to make one of their breaks into Holland territory count and, when they did on the hour, boy was it worth waiting for.
Bernardo Silva bamboozled the Dutch defence with a neat flick back into the path of Gonçalo Guedes who powered home a rifle of a shot from the edge of the area.
Porto erupted. Portugal were ahead.
Ironically, Holland had just started to offer their own threat before the goal and should have been level almost immediately but Rui Patricio – for so long a spectator – kept out Memphis Depay’s downward header.
Patricio also pushed away a Donny van de Beek effort but Portugal, just as they have had so many times in their meetings with the Dutch, held the aces when it mattered.
The question now is whether this young Dutch side – potentially, player for player of greater talent than the champions of Europe – can go onto achieve what Ronaldo has inspired his countrymen to do over the past 15 years.
Reaching the final of European football’s newest tournament isn’t a bad start and will give Koeman and his young players – combined with some experienced heads – a fine platform upon which to build.
Key statistics
Portugal are the first European nation to host and win a final of a major competition since France beat Brazil 3-0 in the final of the 1998 World Cup.
Portugal are unbeaten in their last 10 matches in all competitions, their longest unbeaten run since between February 2009 and June 2010 under manager Carlos Queiroz (19 games).
Guedes has been directly involved in five goals in his last eight appearances for Portugal (three goals and two assists).
Portugal have only lost two of their last 14 international encounters with Netherlands in all competitions (won eight, drawn four).
Netherlands have never beaten Portugal in Portugal, drawing two and losing four of their six meetings in all competitions.
Seven of the last eight hat-tricks scored by Portugal have come from Ronaldo.
Jasper Cillessen has now become the fifth goalkeeper to earn 50 caps for his country, after Edwin van der Sar (130), Hans van Breukelen (73), Maarten Stekelenburg (58) and Gejus van der Meulen (54).
What’s next?
It’s season end now for both countries.
They will be back in the autumn, of course – Portugal visit Serbia and Lithuania in the space of four days in qualifying, while Holland travel to Germany and Estonia – and both are expected to be among the protagonists at next summer’s Euro 2020.
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