🤔 Four conclusions as Ronaldo sends Portugal to Nations League final | OneFootball

Of course, it had to be him.

Portugal made it to the first ever Nations League final, but it was Cristiano Ronaldo who stole the show.

The Ballon d’Or winner netted a hat-trick as Fernando Santos’ men took one step further to continental glory.

Here’s everything we learned.

A step too far for Joao Felix

When the news came through an hour before kick-off that Joao Felix was set to make his international debut, the expectation was palpable.

But this looked like a step too far for the teenager.

He’s been widely touted as one of the most promising strikers in Europe, with the likes of Manchester City and Juventus thought to be keen.

But with a nation watching and expectation at an all-time high, the Benfica starlet didn’t turn up. That’s not to denigrate what looks to be a brilliant player; but a warning for all those who place too much expectation on someone so young.

Var-larity

When are we finally going to realise that, right now, VAR is not fit for purpose?

Wednesday’s game was the perfect example of how the video assistant referee has made almost any challenge inside the penalty area a foul if you slow it down enough.

What originally was called to the referee’s attention for being a Portugal penalty, was then pulled back a minute later to inspect a ‘foul’ on Steven Zuber.

And after a million angles, and slowing the action down to the 1000th of a second, it was decided that there was enough of an infringement to call a penalty.

Technology is clearly the future – but right now, this is just a joke.

Don’t ever write him off

It wasn’t his best ever performance. And to be perfectly honest, that’s a phrase we’ve used more often than not in recent years.

But once again, on the biggest stage, when the pressure is on, Cristiano Ronaldo came up trumps for Portugal.

His first half free kick was right out of the top drawer and got Fernando Santos’ men off to the best possible start.

It looked to the naked eye as if it had taken a wicked deflection and left Yann Sommer wrong-footed.

Instead it was Ronaldo’s unique technique that made the ball swerve like it had popped on one side.

And then, with the clock running down and timing running out, there he was to net a brilliant hat-trick.

Genius.

There for the taking

Yes, they beat Switzerland here. And yes, Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick was right out of the top drawer.

But if I was Ronald Koeman or Gareth Southgate, I wouldn’t be worried about this Portugal side.

Ronaldo’s heroics were enough to see the hosts make the final, but really, without him, what are they?

Slow and creaking at the back. Ponderous in midfield. And, Ronnie aside, not that lethal going forward.

Neither the Netherlands nor England, with their young, dynamic XIs, should fear the final.