Portugal win Nations League with Goncalo Guedes strike enough to beat Holland 

Portugal's forward Goncalo Guedes (R) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Nations League final football match between Portugal and The Netherlands
Goncalo Guedes scored the only goal of the game Credit: AFP

Their football culture may be dominated by the global superstar in their No 7 shirt but Portugal have developed a habit of winning big matches that goes a lot deeper than the status of Cristiano Ronaldo, in what is becoming a golden dusk to his career.

This was the 18th major trophy of his life on Sunday night, if that is what we are to call the Nations League, while excluding all those Supercopas and Club World Cups, and pre-lift he put it on his shoulder to carry it over his team-mates, with an easy familiarity. Still no-one quite knows what to make of the Nations League, and certainly no-one among the winners or the losers were behaving like this was a career-changing moment, but the home crowd loved it.

European champions in 2016, and a replaying of that triumph on a smaller scale three years later – no-one could deny that this Portugal team knows how to win. They controlled the Dutch passing game much more shrewdly than England ever managed on Thursday night and when the time came, it was the turn of Goncalo Guedes to pull the trigger, just as the relative unknown Eder had done in Paris in the final of Euro 2016.

The great Holland resurgence fell one step short of a trophy this time, paying the price for the absence of a great goalscorer and perhaps some of the ringcraft you need against a team as cussed as the Portuguese. Fernando Santos’ side were superb in defence, giving up a single attempt on target – a header from Memphis Depay – and it was hard to argue with the Uefa technical committee awarding the man of the match award to the Benfica defender Ruben Dias.

The player of the tournament went to Bernardo Silva, the architect of this game’s only goal – and the end to a fine season for the man from Manchester City. As for Ronaldo, he had to settle for tournament top goalscorer, thanks to that hat-trick against Switzerland on Wednesday night. He does something different now for Portugal, to the days when he carried the team on his back. Certainly there are still goals but it is also as much about the shock and awe of his sheer presence on a new generation who have watched his career.

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal prepares to take a free kick during the UEFA Nations League Final between Portugal and the Netherlands
Ronaldo preparing to take a free-kick he smashed well wide of goal Credit: UEFA

The Portugal captain is there to lead, and when the Dutch were trying to turn the screw in pursuit of an equaliser it was him back in his own penalty area at corners, encouraging and organising. This is unquestionably a better Portugal team than the one who shocked France in the final of Euro 2016 three years ago. They can still be hard to watch, and they could not care less about that, but this country, with a population of 10 million, keeps punching far above its weight in international football.

Come the real defence of their European title next summer, the champions will be hard to beat. They did not panic under the high press of the Dutch, and there is never any rush to play the game their own way. Instead they waited out the early pressure from Holland and benefited from the briefest slip of concentration - a mistake by goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen who should have saved Guedes’ shot.

Later, Santos would say that his team was very different to the side that won in Euro 2016, testament, he said, to the enduring ability of his country to produce top players. As for the style, he said: “I’m not talking about handsome or ugly, I only think about that when I am judging great painters. What I do know is that you have to win.”

Without the injured Pepe in the side, his central defenders, Jose Fonte and Dias were excellent. So too, the midfielder Bruno Fernandes, 24, from Sporting Lisbon, one of those names in orbit around Manchester City. He keeps the ball moving forward without any fuss and has lots of energy. Portugal’s statistics reflected the way in which they had controlled Holland’s midfield, including Frenkie De Jong. The hosts had just 43 per cent of the possession but 18 attempts on goal and seven on target. Holland had just a single one of their own on target. Before the break Ronald Koeman’s team had cumulatively just four touches in the Portugal area.

A dejected Frenkie de Jong of Netherlands as Portugal celebrate victory during the UEFA Nations League Final between Portugal and the Netherlands 
Frenkie de Jong and the Holland midfield were dominated throughout Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Bernardo and Guedes tucked in along the flanks of the three central midfielders and blocked as many holes as possible. There was no Joao Felix in this side, the young pretender having struggled in the previous game. Neither was Ruben Neves in the midfield. Instead Santos opted for William Carvalho and Porto’s Danilo to keep the door closed and Fernandes shutting down De Jong.

Barcelona’s new maestro had plenty of the ball, he just did not get the chance to open up the opposition in the way he would usually expect to do. Later voted the tournament’s leading young player, these are the challenges facing him as he moves into the phase of his career when expectations are that much higher and opponents more focussed on curtailing his influence.

“Once the goal came it became even more difficult,” Koeman said later. “They are masters in defending when they have a lead”. He acknowledged the deficit of attacking options in his side when it came to breaking down such a formidable defence. “Maybe,” he said, “we miss a bit of that creativity in that attacking way.”

The goal came on the hour, Bernardo carrying the ball forward and squaring it at just the moment to make the Dutch defence hesitate about coming out to Guedes. He let the ball run across his body and struck it fiercely with his right foot past Cillessen’s left hand.

A bad one for the Holland goalkeeper who moved quickly enough to get a glove on Guedes’ shot but was not strong enough to stop it going in. Within five minutes of the goal, Depay glimpsed what turned out to be Holland’s one chance and headed it straight at Rui Patricio. Holland switched to a 4-2-3-1 system with substitute Donny van de Beek as the No 10 behind Depay. But Portugal are a hard team to dislodge from the lead.

They have shown that they can produce winning teams as well as the one superstar at the centre of it all. Not every country that has had a player of Ronaldo’s status can say the same.

Meanwhile the Dutch defender Matthijs De Ligt later confirmed to the Dutch media that Ronaldo had told him on the pitch after the game to come to Juventus this summer. ‘I was a bit shocked,’ De Ligt said, ‘that’s why I laughed. But I didn’t say anything.  

Player ratings

Portugal (4-1-4-1) 

Rui Patricio (Wolverhampton Wanderers) 6; Semedo (Barcelona) 7, Ruben Dias (Benfica) 8, Fonte (Lille) 8, Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund) 7; William Carvalho (Real Betis) 6; Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) 7, Danilo (Porto) 6, Fernandes (Sporting Lisbon) 7, Guedes (Valencia) 7; Ronaldo (Juventus) 6.

Holland (4-3-3) 

Cillessen (Barcelona) 4; Dumfries (PSV) 6, De Ligt (Ajax) 6, Van Dijk (Liverpool) 7, Blind (Ajax) 6; De Roon (Atalanta) 6, De Jong (Barcelona) 6, Wijnaldum (Liverpool) 7; Bergwijn (PSV) 5, Depay (Lyon) 5, Babel (free agent) 5.

                                                                                                    

Some Opta statistics

  • Portugal have won two of the last four competitive international tournaments that they’ve appeared in, with their previous triumph coming at EURO 2016.
  • 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 th e 1998 FIFA World Cup.
  • The Netherlands have lost four of their last five finals in major international tournaments (three in the World Cup, once in the UEFA Nations League).
  • The Netherlands remain winless against Portugal when playing them in Portugal, drawing two and losing four of their six such meetings.
  • Gonçalo Guedes has been directly involved in five goals in his last eight appearances for Portugal (three goals and two assists).
  • No Portugal player has been directly involved in more goals than Bernardo Silva in the UEFA Nations League this season (3 – joint-most with Cristiano Ronaldo and André Silva), while he also made the most assists of any Portuguese player (2). 
  • The Netherlands’ first shot in this game came in the 65th minute; by which time Portugal had already had 14 shots and opened the scoring.
  • Jasper Cillessen became the fifth goalkeeper to reach 50 international appearances for the Netherlands, after Edwin Van Der Sar (130), Hans Van Breukelen (73), Maarten Stekelenburg (58) and Gejus Van Der Meulen (54).
  • The Netherlands fielded the same starting XI in consecutive games for the first time since October 2014 (under Guus Hiddink).

Remember this

Definitely coming up in a pub quiz near you soon.

 

There's going to be a trophy ceremony 

Really taking this very seriously. Holland are being made to stand around and wait for a runners up medal they definitely don't want, "Portugal" has been scratched onto the sexy looking trophy.

The crowd goes wild

Portugal players celebrate, the crowd cheer... does this really mean anything at all? Let's say yes for now. Holland players seem genuinely upset about it anyway.

PORTUGAL ARE THE BEST NATION

Portugal win the Nations League! 

90 mins +3 - Portugal 1 Holland 0

Van Dijk is staying upfront now. Long balls are the order of the day and it's got them to within the final third. A cross into the area is caught by Patricio - easily - and that might be Holland's last chance. 

Ruben Neves is about to come on as a sub for the last 40 seconds or so.

90 mins - Portugal 1 Holland 0

Ronaldo catches the ball quite nicely but it wobbles and zips about 10 yards wide of the far post. Worth a hit. 

Portugal keep up the pressure, Carvalho intercepts in Holland's half and Carvalho brings the ball towards the box. He passes wide to Rafa, Rafa goes for the back post and the headed clearance is then booted into the car park by Moutinho.

88 mins - Portugal 1 Holland 0

Frenkie De Jong goes down howling in pain after Ronaldo catches him but as Holland play on he magically discovers that he's not injured at all and gets to his feet. Good on his teammates for playing on.

Portugal break through Rafa Silva and De Jong and Dumfries double team him, fouling the Dutchman on the edge of the area. Ronaldo fancies this one. 

87 mins - Portugal 1 Holland 0

Portugal want a penalty as Moutinho turns his back to take a ball to feet in the box and Blind drags him to the floor. Seems pretty nailed on to me but the referee is standing right next to it and says no. Semedo has a chance to shoot shortly after but thumps it low into the goalkeeper. 

84 mins - Portugal 1 Holland 0

Holland come forward, the ball is flicked through to Van De Beek, who stabs a leg at it and Patricio has to turn the ball behind! A brief VAR check for a penalty goes by (it probably wasn't) and the corner is taken but comes to nothing.

83 mins - Portugal 1 Holland 0

Credit: PA

 Luuk De Jong is getting ready to come on now. Fernandes is standing in space 30 yards out... gets the ball and considers his optio SHOOOOOOT and the goalkeeper saves again. Loves a shot, that guy. Loves it.

Portugal take Fernandes after only 98 shots taken and replace him with Joao Moutinho, who was one of my favourite players of the Premier League last season. Yes, that's right. We're calling it last season now.

80 mins - Portugal 1 Holland 0

A shot opens up for De Roon 25 yards out but he batters it miles over the bar. Holland have still only had one shot on target (Depay's header).

78 mins - Portugal 1 Holland 0

Rafa Silva has just come on as a sub for Guedes and then run 70 yards with the ball at feet after an astonishing bit of control near the Portugal box. 

Bernardo Silva then spots an opportunity to accelerate past the Dutch backline and takes them on 30 yards from goal. He runs into bodies and is taken out.

75 mins - Portugal 1 Holland 0

Holland still unable to find a way to get a shot on goal. Whenever they're within about 30 yards of goal there's no movement, Portugal stand in walls of defence and the only safe option is sideways. Depay isn't actually that good, nor is he a poacher, so crosses from wide won't do any good and he's not looking for balls into channels. Not that there are channels to run into, of course, since Portugal have bodies standing there too. The boy Santos knows his potatoes.

72 mins - Portugal 1 Holland 0

Holland win a free-kick near the area and will curl this towards the Big Lads at the back post. Depay whips it... and Ronaldo heads away. 

Portugal hold their shape and force the ball all the way back to the centre-backs and then Van Dijk is ruled to have fouled Semedo by running past him. Not sure that's a great decision.

69 mins - Portugal 1 Holland 0

Bernardo Silva runs around like he's been left on charge for too long and doesn't know what to do with the excess energy. He's just beaten De Ligt to a header.

Holland have been much more aggressive and progressive with their play since the goal went in, but I'd say the real reason for that is Van De Beek, rather than them being 1-0 down.

66 mins - Portugal 1 Holland 0

Van de Beek is running from deep into positions beside the Portugal defence and that means Holland can finally get the ball forward quickly when near the final third. Their best bet of scoring still seems like it'll be a header AND MEMPHIS HAS DONE JUST THAT! WHAT A SAVE! From close range, Depay leaps and powers a header low to the floor but the goalkeeper is down quickly and blocks.

64 mins - Portugal 1 Holland 0

So many scrappy little fouls in this game. Really takes the pace out of it. Portugal look full of confidence now and know that Holland have to open up a bit if they want to get into the game and win the title of 'best nation'. It's what every young footballer dreams about.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!

WHAT A HIT! PORTUGAL HAVE THE LEAD!

Portugal 1 (Guedes 61') Holland 0

Credit: PA

There's a little nutmeg from Guedes from a throw, putting Bernardo in space as he runs ahead! Bernardo then cuts a reverse pass back to him on the edge of the area and Guedes, with Ronaldo waiting for the pass in space to his right, then launches a shot towards the far right of the goal and beats Cillessen for pure power. Absolute rocket. Wooooosh there it goes.

59 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Bergwijn is substituted for Van De Beek. That might mean a change in shape for Holland.

58 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Patricio absolutely batters a corner away, Portugal try to break and Guedes tries to run away from the Dutch centre-backs and is hacked down by Bergwijn... but the referee thinks he's taken the ball. Big decision!

56 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

The corner is swung in, RONALDO ATTACKS IT! The ball loops into the box and Fonte attacks it but the goalkeeper recovers and Holland have possession. That's been a lively 10 minutes and now Portugal have found space on the right! The ball is crossed low but turned behind for a corner by De Ligt.

Headed away. Another corner. Guedes tries to rocket one in from 25 yards and wins another corner. This time it goes short, Fernandes tries to thread a pass beyond the full-back but Holland can clear their lines.

53 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Portugal are making it as difficult as possible for Holland to create anything around their box and force play wide every time until there are no options except punting a cross in. Depay does just that but it starts a Portugal counter and Ronaldo bursts away beyond De Ligt. Fernandes takes the ball on and tries to catch the goalie at his near post but it's a corner.

50 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Portugal are made to pass sideways at halfway but stay patient. Holland are pressing high up the pitch and it's paying off... and WIJNALDUM IS IN! The ball is knocked through to him, he's away from the defence and only has Patricio to beat but goes for the dink way too early and makes it an easy - but quality - save.

Turns out he was offside anyway.

47 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Holland have pushed a little higher up the pitch and look to have switched to a 4-1-4-1 formation, trying to make the pitch nice and wide. Dumfries so far forward he's a right winger at the moment.

KICK OFF 2

And we're back. Goals please.

This game's hashtag

 

Bruno Fernandes

Credit: REUTERS

This guy has taken five shots so far, which is 41 per cent of Portugal's total 12 so far. I'm not sure what you're meant to do with this information but there you go.

HALF TIME

Portugal definitely the better team and far more likely to score, Holland are keeping the ball well when they get it but don't seem to know how to get shots on goal. 

45 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Holland win their first corner of the night. Up come De Ligt and Van Dijk to attack it, Portugal try to block their path to the box and steal it on the edge of the 18 as the ball is headed away. Portugal break! Guedes takes too long on the ball and has to go back, Semedo underlaps and takes it off Fernandes but has to settle for another corner.

42 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

It's definitely a 4-3-3 when they attack and the full-backs get right up the pitch but Portugal are defending with a five man defence at times.

Holland are playing two strikers, even if Depay and Babel are hardly strikers, so a central three in defence makes sense to gain numbers. 

De Jong is dropping to centre-back for Holland too so Blind can get further up the pitch. 

39 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Portugal all over Holland. They work the ball to the final third and Fernandes is free so guess what he does SHOOOOOOOOT and this time it's just over the top corner. He's getting closer.

Fernandes has the ball again shortly after but is outside shooting range so passes to Bernardo, who dribbles inside and tries to beat about four defenders with skill... and is crowded out. 

37 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Now Portugal try to break. It's great one touch pass-and-move but Semedo tries to find Ronaldo at the back post and gets his delivery all wrong. Ronaldo recovers, faces his defender and nutmegs with a pass to the edge of the area and Fernandes is there. He could pass, dribble, cross SHOOT and that effort is blocked. 

Portugal pressing with intensity, attacking quickly. They've got control of this game.

35 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Holland break after a Portugal corner but again run out of ideas in the final third and hand possession back. Holland are great at everything except creating proper chances in the final third and then taking them. It's a problem since this sport relies heavily on scoring goals.

32 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Fernandes likes a punt from distance. As soon as he has the ball in space with the goal in range, which is about 30 yards for him, he tries to smash it past the goalkeeper but hasn't quite caught one cleanly yet. Another shot is turned away, a cross comes in from left and RONALDO IS THERE! Saved again! A powerful header saved low by Cillessen.

30 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

The corner is swung to the box, Fonte gets his head to the ball and shoots but the goalkeeper saves in the middle of his goal. De Ligt absolutely battered into the shoulder of a Portugal player in the ruckus and takes his time to get to his feet. That looked sore.

28 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Credit: REUTERS

 Portugal now passing around trying to work their way up the pitch. A forward pass is deflected towards Ronaldo and he attempts a shot from distance which comes off Van Dijk and goes out for a corner.

25 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Holland keep possession in Portugal's half for a bit, moving it around without quite being able to create anything like a shooting chance. They win a free-kick 35 yards out on the right, curled to the back post... and out for a throw.

23 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Bergwijn looks to have a run on goal as he steals from Guedes but the referee blows for a foul. 

21 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Beautiful football from Portugal. They fire some quick passes together from defence to midfield and just as it looks like Fernandes will have to control then go backwards, he backheel flicks it and bursts into space for the return. Suddenly Portugal are on the attack but Ronaldo's cross from right is aimed towards a box without a striker in it. 

Portugal win a corner.

18 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Loose pass! That's a dreadful choice of ball as a Portugal forward goes all the way back to his defenders from the right wing but doesn't get enough power or direction on it. Bergwijn intercepts and has two centre-backs and most of the Portugal half to run into! Dias has to recover and steps across to get a foot on the ball before it becomes a problem. 

15 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Wijnaldum is such a classy player. He nearly loses control of the ball, chases it and waits for the challenge to come in before scooping it forward then moving into space. The ball comes back, he moves it forward again and jumps over a tackle while doing so, then sprints into space again to receive the return, nutmegging a Portugal defender with a clever little flick. 

12 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Good play from Portugal, again lead by Ronaldo. He finds Fernandes in space on the right but his cross results in a corner. That is played short, launched at goal and Carvalho just about gets a head to the shot which would turn it beyond the goalkeeper. Saved by Cillessen. Portugal look dangerous when the come forward.

9 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Credit: AP

Portugal fans making a lot of noise here. Ronaldo kills a long pass with brilliant control and spreads play, Fernandes tries an ambitious shot which bounces way wide. 

8 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Portugal are a 4-3-3 when they go forward but are defending with a flat five when near their own box. They're forced into going long from a goal kick by Holland's high press and can't keep the ball in play after a brief duel on the line. Holland pass it around a bit, Van Dijk comes out from the back and tries to take his team forward.

5 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

Portugal players keep asking for free-kicks from the referee and don't seem to be enjoying the physical nature of Holland's challenging for the ball. Very stop start so far.

Bernardo runs in behind the Dutch defence and a long ball over the top is sent his way! Blue shirts surround him as he goes to ground in the area, the crowd want a penalty and nothing happens. Never a foul.

2 mins - Portugal 0 Holland 0

I was hoping for red wine strips vs orange this evening but Holland are in highlighter blue. Bit of a scrappy start to the game, neither team keeping possession particularly well.

KICK OFF

HERE WE GO!

Big atmosphere

Uefa are taking this one seriously. The stadium looks full, there's a big noise and they've got a display on the pitch with all the flags of the competing nations. But which is the best nation?

 

Players warming up

Credit: GETTY IMAGES

 This photo looks a little bit like a disorganised boy band right before they all go for harmonies on the chorus.

The joys of technology

 

This trophy denotes the best nation

Credit: Getty Images

 Who will be the best nation? Which is the best nation?

Changes in approach

Jose Fonte starts in place of the injured Pepe for Portugal, and Guedes comes in for Felix. 

Ronald Koeman checking out the furniture

Credit: AP

 

England finish third

Tonight's game is of course the second Nations League match to take place today. Earlier on, England struggled to a 0-0 draw with Switzerland, hitting the frame of the goal a few times and having a goal ruled out for offside, before beating them on penalties. Jordan Pickford took one and saved one. You can read all about that match here.

Starting lineups

Portugal

Rui Patricio, Semedo, Fonte, Dias, Guerreiro, Danilo, William, Bruno Fernandes, B. Silva, Guedes, Ronaldo.

Holland

Cillessen, Dumfries, Blind, Van Dijk, De Ligt, De Roon, De Jong, Wijnaldum, Babel, Bergwijn, Memphis.

It's the biggest game of the year

The Nations League final. My god. Think of the prestige, the glory, the history... it's all here and tonight one of Portugal or Holland will be crowned champions of whatever the Nations League is. Sure, England would have liked to win it but as defeats to Holland and Switzerland have shown, they aren't actually that good; a solid four stars out of five team just like many others.

Holland have two of the best young players in world football in their side though. Matthijs de Ligt is an already excellent centre-back and Frenkie De Jong showed Gareth Southgate what a midfielder looks like. Alongside them are Virgil Van Dijk (you'll know about him), Memphis Depay and Champions League winner Gini Wijnaldum. They lack a bit of firepower but have plenty of creativity. 

Portugal are captained by Cristiano Ronaldo, who is still unbelievably good at football despite being 34. It's not that Ronaldo still has the tricks and flicks to play at a high level, it's that physically he looks fitter, faster and stronger than many top tier professionals in their mid-20s peak. Ronaldo's so good that you'd hardly even remember he was convicted of tax evasion.

But who will triumph tonight? The mighty Netherlands with their midfield of space and movement or the Ronaldo-led Portugal? And who is this Joao Felix person that people on Twitter keep speaking about?

A Football Manager wonderkid turned Actual Real Life wonderkid, Felix is the current hottest prospect on the transfer market. He's more of a second striker than winger or sole central forward, but has impressed at Benfica this season and been rated highly for a few seasons despite only being 19. Considering Portugal also have Bernardo Silva, Rui Patricio, Ruben Dias, Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Neves... they've rather sneakily become an absolutely superb team.

Kick-off is 7:45 and you can follow all the action with us right here. 

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