SPORTS
UEFA Nations League: Portugal coach reveals why they beat Netherlands
in final
Portugal head
coach, Fernando Santos, has admitted that stopping Netherlands’ Frenkie de
Jong, was a key factor in his side’s Nations League final success.
The host nation
emerged victorious at the end of the inaugural edition of the tournament,
winning 1-0 at the Estadio do Dragao on Sunday, thanks to Goncalo Guedes’
strike in the second half.
It enhanced Santos’
reputation as a shrew international coach, after he won the European
Championships in 2016.
“De Jong plays
normally on the left closer to Bruno Fernandes. [Marten] de Roon played closer
to [William] Carvalho.
“We were aware of
the qualities of these midfielders of the Dutch team and De Jong; a great
creator with great potential.
“We knew that if we
curtailed his freedom we would stand to gain. My players’ instructions were to
play the ball whenever they had it and to balance our defence by keeping an eye
out to curtail the freedom De Jong and [Virgil] van Dijk would have,” Santos
told reporters after the game.
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