Portugal head coach, Fernando Santos, has admitted that stopping Netherlands’ Frenkie de Jong, was a key factor in his side’s Nations League final success.
The host nation emerged victorious at the end of the inaugural edition of the tournament, winning 1-0 at the Estadio do Dragao on Sunday, thanks to Goncalo Guedes’ strike in the second half.
It enhanced Santos’ reputation as a shrew international coach, after he won the European Championships in 2016.
“De Jong plays normally on the left closer to Bruno Fernandes. [Marten] de Roon played closer to [William] Carvalho.
“We were aware of the qualities of these midfielders of the Dutch team and De Jong; a great creator with great potential.
“We knew that if we curtailed his freedom we would stand to gain. My players’ instructions were to play the ball whenever they had it and to balance our defence by keeping an eye out to curtail the freedom De Jong and [Virgil] van Dijk would have,” Santos told reporters after the game.
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