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UEFA Nations League 2018-19: All you need to know about the semi-finalists

Published at :May 29, 2019 at 2:02 PM
Modified at :May 29, 2019 at 2:02 PM
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Rohan Philip

The inaugural season's finals will see England, Netherlands, Switzerland and Portugal contest for their maiden tournament crown. 

The UEFA Nations League is a European footballing tournament that involves 55 teams from all over the continent. The teams in this tournament were divided into four leagues on the basis of their FIFA ranking, with promotion and relegation measures in place. The top placed sides from the highest league would go on to play the semi-finals.

England, Portugal, Switzerland and the Netherlands topped their respective groups to make it to the semi-finals of the tournament. We at Khel Now have mapped out each team’s road to the Semi-Finals. 

Portugal

Being the hosts of the competition, Portugal came into the group stages as strong favourites to progress. However, the Portuguese were without a captain, Cristiano Ronaldo in the group stages. The Navigators just managed to squeeze past Italy and Poland to qualify. Early wins in the group stages and favourable results saw Portugal make it to the semis, despite only scoring five goals in the competition so far.

Stats

Played: 4

Won: 2

Drawn: 2

Lost: 0

GF: 5

GA: 3

Players to Watch

Cristiano Ronaldo

The 34-year-old is undoubtedly Portugal’s best player and has the ability to turn a game on its head in a matter of minutes. His absence in the group stage meant that his side suffered from a severe lack of goals. Ronaldo will be raring to go after a very successful first season at Juventus and will be a nightmare for opposition defences.

Reuben Neves

The deep-lying midfielder has been one of the finds of the Premier League season, with his passing and eye for a goal attracting attention from all over Europe. Neves will be crucial to Portugal’s cause, if they are to mount a Nation’s league title challenge.

Bernardo Silva

The Manchester City midfielder has had a stellar premier league season, winning his club’s player of the season award. Silva has also been instrumental to his national side, even scoring a goal in his three appearances in the group stages.

Strengths

Being the hosts of the tournament mean that Portugal have a significant home advantage. Beyond this, their defensive record of just conceding three goals in four group stage games is the best of all the teams in the semi-finals. This experience in defence could prove crucial in the next few games.

Weaknesses

Portugal have long suffered from an over-dependence on Cristiano Ronaldo, something that came to the fore in the group stages where they scored a meager five goals. This goalscoring record is the worst of the last four teams left in the tournament.

Switzerland

The Swiss national team were involved in a qualification scuffle with Belgium in the group stage during which the two sides finished level on points. The Swiss went through on their vastly superior goal difference. The 5-2 victory against Belgium ensured that despite all odds, they go into the semis as the form team in the tournament. The only blemish in their group stage record was a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Belgium in the reverse fixture.

Stats

Played: 4

Won: 3

Drawn: 0

Lost: 1

GF: 14

GA: 5

Players to Watch

Xherdan Shaqiri

The Swiss winger has long been his side’s best-attacking player, with a venomous shot on him and the ability to produce moments of magic in games. Shaqiri has only one goal in the group stages but is a player that can decide games with his skill.

Granit Xhaka

The Arsenal midfielder pulled the strings for his side from midfield in the group stages. Although Xhaka is not a prolific goal scorer, he is highly adept at finding key passes and even taking a crack at goal from outside the box.

Haris Seferovic

Perhaps Switzerland’s player of the group stages, Haris Seferovic scored five goals for his side, making him one of the tournament’s top scorers. His hattrick against Belgium ensured Switzerland’s qualification. The striker will look to continue his goal scoring form in the semis.

Strengths

Switzerland are the most prolific side that remains in the tournament, scoring 14 goals in just four games. It is very evident that their strength lies in the attack, with the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri, Haris Seferovic and Breel Embolo offering various attacking outlets for the Swiss side.

Weaknesses

If Switzerland’s strength is their attack, their weakness is their defence. No player in the national team played all four of the group stage games in defence. This shows a lack of stability at the back, something that could be exploited by the hosts, Portugal in the next round.

Netherlands

The Dutch side is one that has recently been injected with a shot of youthful impetus after the failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup saw a massive reshuffling of the side. Holland were drafted into a very tough Group A along with Germany and France, but managed to come out on top.

Manager Ronald Koeman’s focus on young Dutch talent such as Frenkie De Jong and Matthijs De Ligt has paid dividends. The Oranjie secured qualification in dramatic fashion, following a comeback against Germany after going two goals down.

Stats

Played: 4

Won: 2

Drawn: 1

Lost: 1

GF: 8

GA: 4

Players to watch

Virgil Van Dijk

The centre back is not only a defensive rock for the Oranjie but also very surprisingly their joint top scorer in the group stages with two very important goals. Van Dijk has established himself as one of the world’s elite players and will be key to Netherlands’ efforts going forward.

Memphis Depay

The Lyon man is his side’s top scorer and has been very impressive domestically with 12 goals and 13 assists in the French League this season. He also finished the season as the league’s most creative player with 111 chances created.

Frenkie de Jong

The new Barcelona signing has star quality written all over him. His incisive and quick passing from the number 6 position was key in his side’s push for a spot in the semis.

Strengths

Holland have what is perhaps the world’s best centre back pairing in Van Dijk and De Ligt in their side. With just four goals conceded in four games and eight scored, their defensive solidity is certainly a strong point.

Weaknesses

The downside to Koeman’s focus on youth is the lack of big game experience in the side. He will hope that the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Gini Wijnaldum, with their years of experience, will be able to steady the ship in the tough upcoming games.

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England

Although England did not produce the kind of performances in the group stages that we have come to expect from Gareth Southgate’s men, the side produced the results that took them through to the semis, with six points on the board. The three lions overcame a group of Spain and Croatia to proceed in the tournament. England were beaten by Spain at Wembley but turned the result around in the reverse fixture to ensure their qualification.

Stats

Played: 4

Won: 2

Drawn: 1

Lost: 1

GF: 6

GA: 5

Players to Watch

Harry Kane

Although Kane has only one goal in the competition so far, the English captain is capable of turning games on their heads with his immense technical skill. He will undoubtedly be one of England’s most important players in the upcoming games despite the fact that he is just on his way back from injury.

Raheem Sterling

Sterling has enjoyed a stellar 2018-2019 campaign with Manchester City and is his country’s joint leading goal scorer in the group stages with two goals. The winger will be looking forward to continuing his form in the semis.

Marcus Rashford

Manchester United’s wonderkid is the top leading goal scorer for his side in the group stages. The 21-year-old can frighten opposition defences with his immense pace and will offer an alternative to Harry Kane up front.

Strengths

Although England do not have a very old squad, they do have one with bags of big game experience. The likes of Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford, Raheem Sterling and many more have done it on the biggest of stages at the World Cup. The youth in the team comes from the likes of Marcus Rashford and Trent Alexander Arnold, making England one of the more balanced sides in the competition.

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Weaknesses

As the stats show, the three lions have scored too little and conceded too much in the group stages. Harry Kane has only one goal in the competition. The England captain will want to up his game for the next stage of the tournament. Southgate will also be looking for a steady set of defenders who plug the holes in the side.

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