Cristiano Ronaldo's 2019 UEFA Nations League Triumph
The 2019 UEFA Nations League marked another historic achievement for Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. By defeating the Netherlands in the final, Portugal became the first-ever winners of the competition, adding the Nations League trophy to their UEFA Euro 2016 title. For Ronaldo, it was the second major international trophy of his career. His route to the title was unusual: after missing Portugal's entire group-stage campaign, he returned for the Nations League Finals and delivered one of his most memorable performances for his country.
Portugal's Road to the Finals
Ronaldo did not feature in any of Portugal's four group-stage matches. Despite his absence, Portugal finished top of their group and qualified for the inaugural Nations League Finals. Here is how the team performed before Ronaldo returned:
Match 1: Portugal 1–0 Italy
September 10, 2018 · Goalscorer: André Silva. Portugal opened the campaign with a narrow victory over Italy, with André Silva scoring the only goal of the match.
Match 2: Poland 2–3 Portugal
October 11, 2018 · Goalscorers: André Silva, Kamil Glik (own goal), and Bernardo Silva. Portugal earned an important away victory in a five-goal encounter. André Silva and Bernardo Silva found the net, while an own goal from Kamil Glik helped Portugal secure all three points.
Match 3: Italy 0–0 Portugal
November 17, 2018. Portugal held Italy to a goalless draw away from home. The result was enough to secure their place in the Nations League Finals, with one group-stage match still remaining.
Match 4: Portugal 1–1 Poland
November 20, 2018 · Goalscorer: André Silva. Portugal concluded the group stage with a draw against Poland. André Silva scored his third goal of the campaign as Portugal finished top of the group and advanced to the final four.
Ronaldo Returns: Portugal vs Switzerland
The Nations League Finals were hosted in Portugal, with the four League A group winners competing for the inaugural trophy. Portugal faced Switzerland in the semi-final, while the other semi-final saw the Netherlands take on England.
Semi-final: Portugal 3–1 Switzerland
June 5, 2019 · Goalscorers: Cristiano Ronaldo (25', 88', 89'). After months away from the national team, Ronaldo returned to Portugal's starting lineup for the semi-final against Switzerland. He opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a free kick, giving Portugal the lead.
Switzerland responded in the second half, with Ricardo Rodríguez converting a penalty to bring the match level. With extra time approaching, Ronaldo took control. He restored Portugal's lead in the 88th minute with a first-time finish, then completed his hat-trick moments later with another right-footed finish. Portugal won 3–1, and all three goals came from their returning captain.
It was a spectacular return to international football. Ronaldo's hat-trick sent Portugal into the final and underlined his ability to deliver on the biggest stage, particularly when his country needed him most.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Match Performance
The match log records a 90-minute performance, three goals, and a perfect 10.0 rating. Ronaldo was also named Man of the Match. The figures below are taken directly from the Portugal–Switzerland entry in the 2018/19 match log.
90
Minutes played
3
Goals
0
Assists
5
Shots
3
Shots on target
1
Key passes
1
Big chances created
3
Successful dribbles
0
Aerial duels won
1
Free-kick attempts
1
Accurate through balls
10.0
Match rating
Yes
Man of the Match
Portugal Crowned Champions
Ronaldo's hat-trick sent Portugal into the final, where they faced a strong Netherlands side. The Dutch had defeated England 3–1 after extra time in the other semi-final.
Final: Portugal 1–0 Netherlands
June 9, 2019 · Goalscorer: Gonçalo Guedes (60'). The final was closely contested. After a goalless first half, Bernardo Silva set up Gonçalo Guedes, who found the net in the 60th minute to give Portugal the lead. The Netherlands were unable to equalize, and Portugal held on to secure a historic victory on home soil.
Portugal became the inaugural UEFA Nations League champions, completing their six-match campaign unbeaten. Across the group stage and Finals, they recorded four wins and two draws, scoring nine goals and conceding four.
Ronaldo's Individual Awards
Ronaldo finished as the top scorer of the Nations League Finals with three goals, earning the Alipay Top Scorer Trophy. Although André Silva also scored three times during Portugal's group-stage campaign, the Alipay award recognized the leading scorer of the four-team Finals tournament rather than the entire Nations League league phase and Finals combined.
Ronaldo was also selected for UEFA's Team of the Tournament and the FedEx Performance Zone Team of the Tournament. His hat-trick against Switzerland was the defining individual performance of Portugal's title run, while the victory over the Netherlands completed another major achievement for Portuguese football.
The 2019 Nations League triumph gave Ronaldo and Portugal their second major international title in three years. After lifting the European Championship in 2016, Portugal had once again reached the summit of international football—and Ronaldo had played a decisive role.