Portugal 1-0 Netherlands: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis | UEFA Nations League Final

#4 Bernardo Silva produces another special night of football

Bernardo was outstanding again

Over the course of the 2018-19 season, there has been a growing consensus that Bernardo Silva is one of the world’s most valuable players. The Portuguese has been a consistent performer for his club, Manchester City, and has come up with the goods whenever called upon.

However, there remained a lingering feeling that he hadn’t been able to translate his club dominance onto the international stage. Yet, by the time the Nations League final ended, he had silenced those doubters as well.

The City midfielder started on the right flank but regularly cut in-field to occupy the Dutch centre backs and midfielders. Bernardo’s expert positioning sense also encouraged Semedo to march forward from right back and create a numerical advantage on the flank.

Additionally, he acted as a ball carrier whenever the hosts were under pressure. On countless occasions, he held onto the ball and dribbled past his opponents with ease. In the process, he relieved his side of any pressure.

In the second half, Bernardo capped off his performance with a sublime assist. After racing onto a pass, the Portuguese proceeded towards the Dutch goal, with his sights firmly set on testing the keeper. However, he deceived the defenders by cutting the ball back for Guedes. The latter did the rest and made the net bulge.

The assist in the final characterised Bernardo in a nutshell. A hardworking footballer willing to chase down every loose ball while also boasting of enough composure to pick the right pass in the attacking third.

The said combination is extremely hard to find these days and thus, it comes as no surprise that he is being talked about in the bracket of world class players.