The French team has been proclaimed champion of the second edition of the UEFA Nations League after beating the Spanish team 1-2 in the final. In this way, France succeeds Portugal on the throne, which was the first team to win this title.
Let’s see which is the best possible eleven between the Portugal of 2019 and the France of 2021.
The goalkeeper has conceded three goals in this final phase but has avoided as many. If it were not for his stretches and his reflexes, France would have had a harder time winning the tournament, or even not winning it.
Deschamps may have used him as a defensive back with three center-backs, but in this eleven Pavard is the right-back. He did not make two great performances in this Final Four, but he was better than Semedo on the right back of Portugal two years ago who was very imprecise in attack.
José Fonte did not have an easy task, who had to replace Pepe in that final and beat his opponents in the air, demonstrating his seniority. The Portuguese defense was huge in that final four. At 37 years of age, he is still a fixture in Fernando Santos’ calls.
The City center-back was chosen as the best player in the final and it was not by chance. The Portuguese defense forcefully imposed itself on the Dutch attackers and led the rear with hierarchy and security.
As in the case of Pavard, Theo has played in the center of the field and I have performed with flying colors. To have only three games with the absolute, his performance is unbeatable and he has also been decisive scoring that goal in 94 that gave France a pass to the final against Belgium avoiding an extension that seemed inevitable, and in the final he assisted so that Mbappé break the tie.
Paul Pogba is one of the best players France has and he shows it in every game. In addition, in the face of Kanté’s loss, the United player has grown in the center of the field and has not only exhibited his physical power, but also his technique with quality details from great cracks like him. Although at times he was overtaken by the center of the rival field, with a single pass he already cleared the entire game.
Another player who multiplied in the final was his teammate Bruno Fernandes with Portugal in 2019. The midfielder multiplied to help in defensive tasks and also joined the attack with great danger combining plays with his teammates. Total player who only missed the goal.
One of the figures of this selection from Portugal, Bernardo Silva. The midfielder was chosen the best player of the tournament and in the final against the Netherlands he ended up being decisive with his assistance so that Guedes scored the only goal of the match.
Mbappé was France’s hero scoring the second goal against Spain to give the Gauls the title and assisted in the first. In the semifinal against Belgium he also saw a goal. One spark of his is enough to win a game and in this Final Four he has had more than one.
Cristiano was not the man of the match in that 2019 final but he was one of the most outstanding of the tournament. In fact, his hat-trick against Switzerland was what allowed Portugal to qualify for the final.
Karim Benzema was the man who started France’s comebacks in both the semi-finals against Belgium and the final against Spain. The forward scored two goals in the final phase and left details of his enormous quality, for something he was named best player of the match. Simply sensational.
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