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The club football season might have only just concluded, but that doesn’t mean the action doesn’t stop heading into the summer.
With the Women’s World Cup and Copa America taking place in the upcoming weeks, fans have an exciting summer of football on the horizon, and it all kicks off with the UEFA Nations League.
The inaugural finale of the newly created competition sees England, the Netherlands, Switzerland and hosts Portugal face off to see who’s crowned the first winners of the Nationals League.
With the opening semi-final taking place on Wednesday, who would make it into the best-combined XI out of those heading to Portugal to compete in Europe’s latest major trophy?
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Rui Patricio
Starting things off is Wolves’ star between the sticks Rui Patricio. The Portuguese number one has held the position for the best part of eight years, being a key figure for the Seleccao das Quinas for most of the decade and being a member of the Euro 2016 winning side.
Patricio continued his great form from Sporting Lisbon upon his move to Wolves last summer, and in doing so has not only established himself as one of the best shot-stoppers in the Premier League, but retained his spot as Portugal’s number one ahead of the likes of Anthony Lopes.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold
What a year it has been for Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Liverpool right-back firmly established himself as one of the top fullbacks in Europe after leading the Reds to a sixth Champions League triumph and driving Jurgen Klopp’s side closer than ever to a Premier League title.
At just 21-years-old, Alexander-Arnold plays with the mentality and intelligence of a player way beyond his years, and his quality on the ball and range of passing making the Liverpool man a dangerous threat from the right flank and a man Gareth Southgate is sure to call upon against the Netherlands.
Virgil van Dijk
You can’t mention Liverpool’s success this season without talking about their star defender and the current PFA Player of the Year, Virgil van Dijk.
The Dutch giant has been a revelation on Merseyside since his record-breaking move last year as van Dijk established himself as one of the best defenders in world football.
Ronald Koeman will be hoping the Liverpool man remains the titan that he has been all season when Thursday rolls around.
Matthijs de Ligt
It’s still bonkers to think that Matthijs de Ligt, Ajax’s captain and one of the best defenders in Europe, is still only 19-years-old, and together with van Dijk the duo makes for one of the tightest defensive partnerships on the international stage.
De Ligt’s imposing physique and reading of the game has made the Ajax academy star one of the most sought after talents in world football, and Holland fans will be hoping the defender alongside van Dijk can lead the Netherlands back from the ashes after years of disappointment.
Ricardo Rodriguez
Everybody loves a fullback that can create as much as they can, and for AC Milan and Switzerland fans, that player is Ricardo Rodriquez.
The 26-year-old left-back has been a regular name in the limelight in European football for his set-piece deliveries and his consistent performances for both club and country, and Switzerland boss Vladimir Petkovic will be hoping his defensive creative hub will be in top-form when his side face off against Portugal.
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Bruno Fernandes
If you’ve been keeping an eye on transfer rumours for the past few months, you would have seen Bruno Fernandes’ name pop up a lot, and there’s a good reason for that.
The Sporting Lisbon star has had a breakout year in his homeland this season, scoring 20 goals and assisting 13 in the Liga NOS alone and attracting interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, such as Manchester City and Manchester United, and there is no doubt Fernandes could add a few more millions to his price tag should he impress for Portugal this week.
Ruben Neves
Sticking with the host nation, Ruben Neves is another player who has enjoyed a stellar year in the top-flight, this time with Wolves in the Premier League and having been part of the Portuguese set-up since his Porto days as a teenager, you can expect the midfielder to impress this summer.
Blessed with incredible passing range and a great footballing brain, the Wolves playmaker has earned a solid reputation over the past year for his performances with the West Midlands club, and interest for Neves this transfer window can really ramp up should the 22-year-old turn up for Portugal.
Donny van de Beek
In Portugal, it was Fernandes having the season of his life. In Holland, meanwhile, it was Donny van der Beek. The 22-year-old youngster put his name firmly on the footballing map after a sensational year with Ajax, guiding them to the Champions League semi-finals and raking up 17 goals and 13 assists in all-competitions.
Holland are currently undergoing an incredible change in fortunes after years of disappointment, and there is no doubt that Van de Beek will be one of the players to lead this new generation of Dutch football to a new and prosperous future.
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Raheem Sterling
Heading into award season in England, all the talk of who was going to win the PFA Player of the Year was down to two players, Van Dijk, or Raheem Sterling, and there’s a good reason for that.
The Manchester City winger had his best season to date in professional football, scoring 25 goals and assisting 18 as the England international led the Citizens to their second consecutive Premier League title, as well as finding his feet in Southgate’s system when he ended his goal drought with an emphatic brace against Spain in the Nations League group stages.
Harry Kane
He might be heading into the Nations League on the back of a Champions League final loss, but there is no question that Harry Kane is one of the top strikers in the world and is one of the essential players in Southgate’s England team.
The England captain has been one of the spearheads in a new national side that is actually loved by the public and that can go toe-to-toe with big countries, and if the Three Lions are to succeed in Portugal, Kane will be at the heart of all the action.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Do you really think we would leave Cristiano Ronaldo out? The footballing icon might not have been at his freakish best in his debut season for Juventus this year, but if 28 goals and 13 assists is considered poor, he must have been doing something right for the vast majority of his career.
The Portuguese captain is expected to deliver yet again this summer for his nation following the surprising success of the 2016 Euros three years ago, and if there’s any player in world football who can turn a game on their head in the blink of an eye, it’s that man Ronaldo.
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