UEFA Nations League Final : 3 Reasons why Portugal are favorites to win the tournament

#1 The comeback of Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick against the Swiss

Portugal started the UEFA Nations League without their man main as he played no role in the competition last year. However, the semi-final was a tough clash against the mighty Swiss and there was no better moment for Ronaldo’s resurgence in his national colors.

Although the hype surrounding young starlet, Joao Felix was starting to grow in the semi-final, Ronaldo’s emphatic hat trick turned the spotlight back to the five-time Ballon D’or winner. It was the 7th time he had scored a hat trick while on international duty.

If the Netherlands does have an eye on the trophy, their defensive pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Mathijs de Ligt needs to keep a tight check on the Juventus man who will look for opportunities to bring glory to his national team. One sloppy mistake from the opposition and he knows the perfect way to utilize it.

Van Dijk will also have a new challenge up his sleeves. Having stopped Lionel Messi from scoring in the Champions League semi-final, the defender will look forward to replicating that performance when he faces the talented Portuguese, who will not stop at any cost to clinch the silverware.