Ronaldo silenced? Man Utd targets shine & things we learned from UNL final

Hosts Portugal claimed their second trophy in three years by beating the Netherlands to win the inaugural Nations League.

Fernando Santos' side triumphed at the 2016 European Championship and Goncalo Guedes' second half strike gave them a narrow victory in Porto which Santos said was evidence of their unity as a team.

"For the last five years, we have been an almost indestructible family who know what we are capable of doing," he said. "We knew we could win this match."

The victory was achieved through Guedes, the Valencia winger smashing in from the edge of the area following Bernardo Silva's clever cutback, though Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen will be disappointed he did not keep the effort out.

The Dutch looked to get back into the game but Memphis Depay's powerful header was well saved by Wolves number one Rui Patricio and ex-Middlesbrough midfielder Marten de Roon lashed over.

Ronaldo kept quiet by Van Dijk

The game was billed on the clash of the two influential captains - Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Netherlands centre-back Virgil van Dijk.

Both players claimed silverware at club level last season, Ronaldo winning the Serie A title with Juventus, while Van Dijk contributed to ending Liverpool's seven year wait for a trophy by triumphing in the Champions League.

Ronaldo, 34, scored a sublime hat-trick in the semi-final victory over Switzerland but was unable to add to his 88 international goals, seeing a thumping, goalbound drive blocked by the towering Van Dijk.

The closest he came to netting was when he skipped past two defenders from the left, but stuck a shot straight at Barcelona's Cillessen. He also smashed a free-kick wide late on.

Former Southampton and Celtic player Van Dijk was his solid, assured self at the back but could do nothing about the winning goal, though Cillessen was unable to keep out Guedes' strike having got a hand on the effort.

Silva star of the show

Bernardo Silva, who set up the goal, said: "I am very happy and very proud. It is my first title with Portugal. After the amazing season with my club, to finish this way is amazing. It is time to rest now and prepare for next season and try to do even better.

"The most important thing is that Portugal won. If you can add to that individual awards, then even better."

Silva has gone from strength to strength even since he linked up with Pep Guardiola at the Etihad two years ago. He was named in the PFA Team of the Year this season. His stats in the Nations League were highly impressive, with the ace creating the most chances in the whole tournament with 16. Silva had the most take-ons with 15, the most tackles with 11, and the most assists with two.

As well as the vital assist for Guedes' second-half goal, he created four other chances for his teammates - more than anyone else on either side. He also completed six dribbles, which was three times as many as any other player on the pitch.

How did two potential summer movers do?

With the international transfer window about to open on Tuesday, clubs will be gearing up to complete signings in time for the new season.

Two players who have been heavily linked with moves were in action in the final and highlighted why their signatures will be so sought after.

Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes, linked with a reported £68m move to either Manchester United or Tottenham, scored 32 goals and provided 17 assists for Sporting Lisbon last season.

The 24-year-old was one of the best players on the field with his lively movement and eye for goal. His six shots in the match were more than any other player, forcing Cillessen into making saves, albeit to efforts from long range.

Netherlands defender Matthijs de Ligt is another who has been heavily linked with a move to United as well as Barcelona and the teenager captained Ajax to a Dutch league and cup double.

Playing alongside Van Dijk, the 19-year-old impressed at the back once more, contributing six clearances and three tackles for his side and also winning the ball back three times.

Dutch despair - the stats

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.

The Netherlands have lost four of their last five finals in major international tournaments (three in the World Cup, once in the Nations League).

They remain winless against Portugal when playing them in Portugal, drawing two and losing four of their six such meetings.

Goncalo 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 Nations League this season (3 - joint-most with Cristiano Ronaldo and Andre 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)

Ronaldo targets a trophy hat-trick?

Cristiano Ronaldo has grown accustomed to lifting trophies, and the relish with which he hoisted aloft the silverware that comes with winning the UEFA Nations League, following Portugal's 1-0 win vs. Netherlands, suggested that it meant every bit as much as all of the prizes he has won in the past for club and country.

It is not the World Cup or European Championship, but it is a hefty, glittering trophy, and the qualification process to reach the four-team finals means that the winners had to overcome strong opposition to come out on top, so Portugal's triumph should not underestimated.

It is a remarkable success story and one that has been driven largely by Ronaldo's unique talents for the past 15 years, but should we take Portugal's latest success as a sign of their dominance as a force in Europe or nothing more than helping to measure the current temperature of the continent's leading teams?