⚽ UEFA Nations League ⚽ - Discussion Thread

[Merit.s]

It is an entertaining game I see with each player putting in enough effort to ensure that they get on the positive side of the new coach to secure a first team place from an impressive performance as they have the opportunity to play. Supporters of Arsenal who are watching this game will be hoping that it is not a serious injury that Havertz has sustained that has made him to be removed early from the game because Arsenal are lacking in attacking options.

Netherlands have not looked totally oppressed in the first half, they have had a goal cancelled and they are creating chances, they can change the game in the second half.

Nothing has changed yet in the second half as Netherland is still incapable of getting an equalizer. They are only winning possession but finds it difficult to breakthrough Germany solid defense wall.

Germany is playing more defensively and capitalize on counter attacks. It will be unfair if Netherland end this game without a goal because they're really trying but no goal luck.

[yixichloro2xx]

I am watching the Portugal vs Wales match right now and from the look of things, almost half of that stadium is patiently waiting for CR7 to score a goal. Ronaldo is just something else entirely, he has a cat life. I seriouly thought he was going to hands off the national team after the 2026 world cup tournamnet but the man is very obsessed with football. He will play until his legs can't cope anymore. One thing can never change though, the media will still find a way to hammer him regardless of the outcome of the match, whetther portugal win, draw or lose.

The game is still 1-0 ,and to be honest I am not impressed with Portugal. Even the level of midfielders in their starting XI , it looks like they are struggling a bit against Wales. I was even expecting the scoreline to be at 3-0 by now , not knowing that they are still maintain their one goal lead since 22nd minute. This match might end with that 1 goal or Wales  draws the game.
Ronaldo deciding to still play for his National would have already known that if his team messes up in any match, he will be the scapegoat (that he is hindering the progress of his team by not retiring). It has been happening since 2022 world cup and I am very sure he's already used to it.

[Cryptoprincess101]

Erling Haaland continues in his goalscoring adventure for the Vikings as they are leading Denmark with a score of 3:2. Haaland scored 2 goals and could probably score a hat trick before the end of the match. I may be wrong but I think that Erling Haaland brought Norway to limelight because we don't hear much of them until the introduction of Haaland. We could also see how far the Norwegian team reached in the 2026 World Cup before they got eliminated by England in the quarter final and it was possible for them to reach that stage with the help of Haaland. I think Erling Haaland is not getting enough recognition considering his impact in his national team and also at Manchester City.

[Adbitco]

There's something I really don't understand, how come Israel that's in the Middle East is currently playing in the UEFA Nations League, they are not sharing any border with Europe so how come they are playing in this competition? Were they invited? If they were how come it's only them that gets invited from that region. Before anyone talks about Turkey, at least part of Turkey is in Europe. So I really don't understand how Israel gets to play in European competitions, it baffles me though and I'm just wondering.

[Agathamay]

I am watching the Portugal vs Wales match right now and from the look of things, almost half of that stadium is patiently waiting for CR7 to score a goal. Ronaldo is just something else entirely, he has a cat life. I seriouly thought he was going to hands off the national team after the 2026 world cup tournamnet but the man is very obsessed with football. He will play until his legs can't cope anymore. One thing can never change though, the media will still find a way to hammer him regardless of the outcome of the match, whetther portugal win, draw or lose.

Portugal won the game 1nil and I would say it's a necessity for them to win wales tonight. This is just a friendly and also create path chances for coaches to get acquainted with their players and knowing the ones that are ineffective and the ones that's meant for the bench. Talking about Cristiano Ronaldo, he's a superstar and have bang goals for Portugal in the past, what makes you think he's not capable of leading them in the upcoming nations league? Ronaldo wasted most chances but he can still come on and make things work on the pitch.

[ingiltere]

We've watched a dramatic finish. Netherlands secured a draw with a goal in extra time. I think that was fair, because the match deserved to end in a draw. Both teams had clear scoring chances they missed. There were shots that went wide of an empty net. But looking at the match as a whole, it would've been a shame if Netherlands had come away empty-handed. Germany didn't play good enough to deserve 3 points.

Gnabry will be talked about just as much as Adeyemi in the German media. If the goal hadn't come so late, this draw might not have felt so bitter. After all, getting 1 point from an away game against Netherlands isn't bad, what makes it look bad is that the goal came in the last minute.

Greece defeated Serbia. They got an important victory. If Germany or Netherlands slip up against them, Greece might still have a chance at a top 2 finish. In my opinion, this group isn't as clear-cut as it appears on paper. The standings may change in the end.

[Ruttoshi]

Gakpo dying minutes goal in the additional time leveled the score line to 1-1 and saved Netherlands from getting their as whipped by Klopps men. It was a game of action and thrill all throughout from the beginning till the end and Netherlands fought hard to make sure that they could get an equalizer.

It was a beautiful cross from the goal assistant which Gakpo didn't miss that great opportunity to find the back of the net. Germany was lucky because Netherland missed their last chance. It would have been a shock to them.

[Freeveto]

Nothing has changed yet in the second half as Netherland is still incapable of getting an equalizer. They are only winning possession but finds it difficult to breakthrough Germany solid defense wall.

Germany is playing more defensively and capitalize on counter attacks. It will be unfair if Netherland end this game without a goal because they're really trying but no goal luck.

Everything changed in the added minutes when Cody Gakpo nets the equalizer through an assist from Van Bommel, I am not happy, I was supporting Germany simply because I think that the Netherlands team don’t have good attacking lees, but the Germany players were relaxed in the second half, they didn’t not play serious game to score more goals and they could not maintain their one goal as the game ended in a draw. It’s painful for bettors who predicted either of the teams to or plays over 2.5 goals.

Portugal on the other hand won their match 1-0. It was not a convincing win because we expect goals from Ronaldo and even Bruno Fernandez, but only Joe Felix rescue them to get a 1-0 win.

[welovebit]

There's something I really don't understand, how come Israel that's in the Middle East is currently playing in the UEFA Nations League, they are not sharing any border with Europe so how come they are playing in this competition? Were they invited? If they were how come it's only them that gets invited from that region. Before anyone talks about Turkey, at least part of Turkey is in Europe. So I really don't understand how Israel gets to play in European competitions, it baffles me though and I'm just wondering.

There is a political reason for having Israel in UEFA they have been part of UEFA since 1991 and have full membership since 1994. It's all about the influence and power show of the state of Israel into the European Union no one can expel them from here. They were part of AFC, but after the 1974, no one wanted to play with them due to many reasons, so they were doing it all alone.
But after a long time, UEFA allowed them to be part of this region, and now they are playing here without having a border with Europe. They are also having all relationships in Europe; it's not all about sports. They are also having other engagements as well despite being geographically located in Western Asia.

[BIT-BENDER]

As a neutral in the Germany against Netherlands match I think it's actually justice that the Netherlands scored to equalize the match, because not only did they play very well in the second half and missed alot of chances the German goal had lots of unfairness to it, the Dutch team had their striker on the ground but that did not stop the germans which then lead to them scoring at the end of that play.

[Ryu_Ar1]

Gakpo dying minutes goal in the additional time leveled the score line to 1-1 and saved Netherlands from getting their as whipped by Klopps men. It was a game of action and thrill all throughout from the beginning till the end and Netherlands fought hard to make sure that they could get an equalizer.

I expected the Dutch to win in this match but Germany were very solid even though they defended more and only relied on a few counterattacks but their coordination was pretty good.

Gakpo became the difference here after many attempts by the Dutch in the end the score ended in a draw.
The Dutch are also very dominant and the total style of football is more and more felt for me regardless of how the results are I think it is quite appropriate for both teams.

With this result while Greece is at the top above the Netherlands and Germany but this condition is temporary and of course everything changes so a draw for 2 big teams with its history is very feasible although I am not satisfied because my bet is destroyed.

[xLays]

As a neutral in the Germany against Netherlands match I think it's actually justice that the Netherlands scored to equalize the match, because not only did they play very well in the second half and missed alot of chances the German goal had lots of unfairness to it, the Dutch team had their striker on the ground but that did not stop the germans which then lead to them scoring at the end of that play.

I just feel bad for Germany. I really thought they were going to win this one, but the Netherlands managed to make it a draw. And you know what hurts the most? Netherlands scored in stoppage time, right at the very last minute.

And Greece surprisingly managed to beat Serbia. If Greece manages to get another win, one of either Germany or the Netherlands could be eliminated and fail to make it to the quarter-finals. But I doubt it going to happen. For sure any of Germany/Netherlands can beat this two Greece/Serbia.

[Pandorak]

(...)

The game is still 1-0 ,and to be honest I am not impressed with Portugal. Even the level of midfielders in their starting XI , it looks like they are struggling a bit against Wales. I was even expecting the scoreline to be at 3-0 by now , not knowing that they are still maintain their one goal lead since 22nd minute. This match might end with that 1 goal or Wales  draws the game.

Thankfully, the match ended in a victory for Portugal, even though the margin of victory was relatively narrow, just 1-0. But a win is still a win, that’s what matters most right now.

Ronaldo deciding to still play for his National would have already known that if his team messes up in any match, he will be the scapegoat (that he is hindering the progress of his team by not retiring). It has been happening since 2022 world cup and I am very sure he's already used to it.

To be honest, i thought that once the World Cup was over, that would be the end of Cristiano Ronaldo journey with his national team. Something incredible happened, he decided to keep playing, and while this is exciting news, it’s also a bit disappointing to me. Because in my opinion, there are some players who don’t appreciate him enough, these young players think they’re better than him. After all, if the team ends up with a poor result, he’ll undoubtedly be the one taking the heat. Maybe with Jorge Jesus now coaching the national team and Ronaldo goal of scoring 1,000 goals, it makes sense that he still wants to come back, at least he’s still in good enough shape and capable of making a meaningful contribution.

[LGD2Business]

Did you see the goal Ronaldo missed into an empty net? I still don't understand why he insist to play. It's time for him to retire. It used to be great to watch him, but now he's hurting the team. What would have happened if Wales had scored a goal? Portugal won by a single goal, the match could have ended in a tie.

If Ronaldo had retired, he would have been remembered fondly, but now he's making headlines for mistakes like this in every game and it's damaging his reputation.

[Tonimez]

Erling Haaland continues in his goalscoring adventure for the Vikings as they are leading Denmark with a score of 3:2. Haaland scored 2 goals and could probably score a hat trick before the end of the match. I may be wrong but I think that Erling Haaland brought Norway to limelight because we don't hear much of them until the introduction of Haaland. We could also see how far the Norwegian team reached in the 2026 World Cup before they got eliminated by England in the quarter final and it was possible for them to reach that stage with the help of Haaland. I think Erling Haaland is not getting enough recognition considering his impact in his national team and also at Manchester City.

Haaland is a very complete guy and easy going. He makes goal scoring look simple and stress-free. His two goals against Denmark today was so brilliant and amazing, a well calculated strike at each time. I think Norway is Haaland because he's always been the saviour.

Denmark nearly pulled up a surprise from behind. The pressure was much, they were willing to win or at least get a draw. Denmark played a good game and I can say that Norway will need to improve better or they may suffer unexpected defeats.

Portugal didn't impress and almost lost the game thanks to João Felix early goal Ronaldo wasn't very impressive but he got his fans behind him. Managers will need to use this as their final team assessment to put things in order to be able to go far in the tournament.

[samadam007]

I am watching the Portugal vs Wales match right now and from the look of things, almost half of that stadium is patiently waiting for CR7 to score a goal. Ronaldo is just something else entirely, he has a cat life. I seriouly thought he was going to hands off the national team after the 2026 world cup tournamnet but the man is very obsessed with football. He will play until his legs can't cope anymore. One thing can never change though, the media will still find a way to hammer him regardless of the outcome of the match, whetther portugal win, draw or lose.

Tbh I don’t really know what CR7 is trying to prove again at this stage. Maybe someone should remind him he is 41 before he knows it’s time to retire. With or without World Cup, he is a legend and it’s doesn’t reduce how great he is. Even those trolling him knows.

Maybe he is hoping to win this nations league and use it to wrap up national football I don’t know.
Of course he’s my goat but I don’t see them going far In this nations competition, not because of Ronaldo but the squad general performance. Imagine struggling to beat Wales when there still tougher teams ahead.

[danadc]

I think Portugal will start the Nations League with a win over Wales. Portugal are noticeably stronger in terms of their squad, with quality players in almost every area of the pitch. After their disappointing performance at the 2026 World Cup, the team will surely be extra motivated. However, Portugal did have problems with the players’ coordination during the World Cup, and I hope the new coach, Jorge Jesus, will be able to solve this issue.
Wales are going through a difficult period at the moment and rarely win. Therefore, I expect Portugal to take control of the game from the start and create enough chances to secure the victory.

I also hope Portugal wins. There's a new coach who's doing an excellent job and led Cristiano to victory in the Saudi League. I hope Cristiano wins the Nations League and reaches 1000 goals, and that he scores his last 1000th with the Portuguese national team.

At this stage, Jorge Jesus needs to get that toxic, envious Portuguese team playing well. They need to give their legend a chance, take advantage of having him. I doubt another Cristiano will ever emerge in Portugal.

[pawel7777]

The results of the first day of matchday 1 are in:


https://www.uefa.com/uefanationsleague/fixtures-results/#/d/2026-09-25

No major surprises here, maybe other than Portugal earning only a 1-0 win despite being big favourite.
Ronaldo didn't make any progress towards his 1,000 career goals target.

Norway with a win over Denmark, but I expected them to be a bit more dominant, but I guess this is not the type of a tournament when you would expect teams to play at their 100%.

[SUPERSAIAN]

Weren't the referee's decisions a bit strange? Why was Van Dijk's goal disallowed? There was no foul there. As a neutral viewer, I feel the referee was biased today and many others likely share this view if they watched the match. Regarding Germany's goal, the Dutch players expected the referee to stop play, but he didn't the Netherlands should have kept playing, but because they didn't, they conceded the goal.

Had they stayed focused on the game and kept defending, that goal wouldn't have happened.

[Cyber_warrior]

I am watching the Portugal vs Wales match right now and from the look of things, almost half of that stadium is patiently waiting for CR7 to score a goal. Ronaldo is just something else entirely, he has a cat life. I seriouly thought he was going to hands off the national team after the 2026 world cup tournamnet but the man is very obsessed with football. He will play until his legs can't cope anymore. One thing can never change though, the media will still find a way to hammer him regardless of the outcome of the match, whetther portugal win, draw or lose.

Tbh I don’t really know what CR7 is trying to prove again at this stage. Maybe someone should remind him he is 41 before he knows it’s time to retire. With or without World Cup, he is a legend and it’s doesn’t reduce how great he is. Even those trolling him knows.

Maybe he is hoping to win this nations league and use it to wrap up national football I don’t know.
Of course he’s my goat but I don’t see them going far In this nations competition, not because of Ronaldo but the squad general performance. Imagine struggling to beat Wales when there still tougher teams ahead.

Honestly every one thought Ronaldo was going to retire after that World Cup but he still insist he will be part of the squad player that will play in the nations league. Even though Ronaldo have a goal ruled out today, I still think he had a bad performance and I think it better leave the national team or better still come from the bench.

Portugal overall performance is bad, and I think it high time we start accepting that they are not that good as we are all thinking. We saw how they played disappointingly at the World Cup. Portugal is an average team and we all need to start accepting that.