What did the first edition of UEFA Nations League left us?

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The competition was won by Portugal and many favorites remained in the group stage. In its opening version, the event served as a prelude to the Eurocup 2020

UEFA Nations League was a competition that took place successfully and in which Portugal won the title in its first edition. According to the UEFA website, a total of 142 games were played, 342 goals were scored, the average per game was 2.41 goals and 1 goal was scored every 39 minutes.

Leer en español: ¿Qué dejó la primera edición de la Liga de Naciones de la UEFA?

It was a competition that served to see high-level teams such as Holland, which has been resurfacing and intends to return to being a protagonist. Similarly, Portugal has been consolidating as a team after winning the European Championship in 2016 and now this new trophy to its list of achievements.

On his website, Yo hablo fútbol, Daguito Valdés said that this competition is here to stay, because it is better to play tournaments than friendly matches. He added that this contest gives titles and is positive for UEFA and the public in general. Valdés believes that there will be economic benefits and more interest. "It's an independent tournament that does not qualify for the European Championship, and all European countries participated," said Mr. Chip on his YouTube channel.

Famous facts

Marca highlighted that the referee Undiano Mallenco directed his last match in this contest and that he left the soccer world with applause. It also indicated that the Netherlands has a problem with the finals, since this defeat adds to the defeat of the World Cup (1974, 1978 and 2010).

For its part, 'El Pibe Valderrama' said that the 'tulips' have won only one final: the 1988 European Championship with big stars on its team. In it, there were stars like Rud Gullit, Marco Van Basten, Frank Rijkaard, and Ronald Koeman. The manager was the legendary Rinus Michels. Despite having lost, the Dutch fans came in great mass to the Portuguese stadium.

In Fútbol Picante, José Ramón Fernández indicated that it seems as if Holland was cursed, because it has great teams, but it does not win anything. It should be noted that, since 1982, the Portuguese had not won anything until, in 2016, they won the European Championship in France and, in 2019, the Nations League.

They have had a rematch after having organized the Eurocup in 2004, when they lost in the final against Greece which surprised the world. Cristiano Ronaldo also added a new award in a team of which he is part, with which he reached 31 official titles with clubs and national teams.

Read also: Abuse in soccer? Cristiano Ronaldo is not the only one

Economic earnings

AS announced the benefits of the four selected that entered the final four of this European Championship. According to a registry of this media, based on information provided by UEFA, the Portuguese won a prize of 10.5 million euros.

While the Dutch got 9 million euros as the runner-up of the competition, England got 8 million for being third. The Swiss team achieved a profit of 7 million euros for its fourth position. These data arose from an accumulated amount in which a minimum was stipulated. The category was taken into account, the bonus for the winner and another for the performance in the final four teams that demonstrated high performance.

Development of the selected participants

In a publication released by the newspaper El Colombiano, Cristiano Ronaldo said he is certain that Portugal will win many more things. The player stressed that young players are going to have more maturity, is a team with a future and the goal is focused on winning the EuroCup in 2020.

Holland returned to the elite of European football thanks to the reconstruction of its prestige under the technical direction of Ronald Koeman and the consolidation of a base. The World argues that the strength of 'the tulips' is based on the maturity of Van Dijk and Depay and the youth of De Ligt and De Jong .

Big disappointments

One of the teams that disappointed in this competition was the German National Team that will play next season in the B section of the League. After its bad performance at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the Teutons disappointed again, so the continuity of Joachim Löw is at stake. "The important thing is the tie for the European Championship, and in that we have to concentrate," said the German strategist Löw to Mediotiempo.

More data from the Nations League (Source: El Comercio):

• This soccer event will take place every two years and brings together 55 UEFA members.
• It emerged with the purpose of eliminating friendly games and boosting the 'Old Continent' soccer at the national team level.
• Michel Platini planned this contest because neither the fans, nor the journalists nor the players are interested in the preparation matches.

LatinAmerican Post | Daniel Cuevas

Translated from "¿Qué dejó la primera edición de la Liga de Naciones de la UEFA?"