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What is the story?
Netherlands midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum is looking forward to the prospect of facing Cristiano Ronaldo in the UEFA Nations League final, with the Liverpool star admitting that it will be a “big test” for the Dutch to contain the Portuguese talisman.
In case you didn’t know…
Wijnaldum played the whole 120 minutes of the Netherlands' 3-1 extra-time triumph over England in the Nations League semi-finals. The midfielder was at his very best with his physicality and work ethic against a resilient English side.
On the club front, Wijnaldum enjoyed the best season of his career as he played an instrumental role in Liverpool’s sixth European glory. The Dutchman chipped in with two crucial goals against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final second leg, which helped Liverpool to make a historic comeback against the Spanish champions.
On the other hand, Portugal booked their place in the Nations League final after thumping Switzerland 3-1 in the other semi-final, courtesy of Ronaldo's brilliance. The 34-year-old was at his scintillating best as he bagged another hat-trick for his national side.
The heart of the matter
Speaking in the pre-match press conference, ahead of the final, Wijnaldum stated that the Dutch are embracing the challenge of stopping one of the best players in the world.
"I'm happy that we play against him.
"You always want to play against the best players in the world. It will be a big test for us to stop him.
"We all look forward to playing a game against Ronaldo, but it's not only him. He has a big influence on the team, and it's difficult to stop it. They have more players who can make the difference, as a team we have to do well to stop them."
What’s next?
The Netherlands will have their task cut out when they face Portugal in the Nations League final at the Estadio do Dragao tonight.
