Virgil 先頭 Dijk 直面するs final 実験（する） as Holland defender 捜し出すs to shackle Portugal 星／主役にする Cristiano Ronaldo in Nations League 対決

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Ronald Koeman raised a smile befor answering. A シナリオ had just been painted for him in which The Netherlands were the 就任の 勝利者s of the Nations League, and his 質問者 手配中の，お尋ね者 to know the 関わりあい／含蓄s.

‘We wouldn’t go crazy or anything like that,’ Koeman said. ‘It would just be a 調印する that we are moving in the 権利 direction. Maybe there will be a nice glass of ワイン and then we go on holiday.’

This, 明確に, would not be a victory to put Koeman’s group on a par with the 味方する he played in that was 栄冠を与えるd European 支持する／優勝者s in 1988.

A relaxed Virgil 先頭 Dijk (left) 会談 to Quincy Promes during a training 開会／開廷／会期 on Saturday

There would, however, be 関わりあい／含蓄s for one of his biggest players if the Dutch can trump Portugal on their home 国／地域.

Should Virgil 先頭 Dijk put the shackles on Cristiano Ronaldo, it would その上の 高める his prospects of winning the 2019 Ballon d’Or. The Liverpool defender has been magnificent over the past 12 months and another big 業績／成果 in Porto this evening would make his 事例／患者 説得力のある.

In the last 25 years, the only defenders to 勝利，勝つ football’s biggest individual prize have been Matthias Sammer (1996) and Fabio Cannavaro (2006). Both were recognised after they had played 重要な 役割s for Germany and Italy when they were successful in major tournaments.

Virgil 先頭 Dijk warms up with a 抵抗 禁止（する）d as Holland prepa re for Sunday's final

先頭 Dijk’s 団体／死体 of work this year has been remarkable ― PFA Player of the Year in England, Man of the Match in the 支持する／優勝者s League final ― so that putting the 封鎖するs on Ronaldo would make the idea of him receiving the トロフィー in Paris in December even more 信頼できる.

‘Virgil has already had good season trying to stop everyone,’ said Gini Wijnaldum, his Liverpool チーム仲間. ‘It is not up to us decide if he 勝利，勝つs the Ballon d’Or, but he is the best defender in the world. Over what he has done this season, he definitely deserves the Ballon d’Or.

‘We are happy we are playing against Ronaldo. He is one of best in the world and you want to 実験（する） yourself against the best.

Virgil 先頭 Dijk, left, and Holland team-mate Steven Bergwijn 参加する an 演習 演習

‘But it is not just up to Virgil to stop Ronaldo and it is not just him who we have to stop. We have got to stop their whole team.’

Liverpool will look to reward 先頭 Dijk’s 進歩 by 改善するing the 条件 of his 契約 in the coming months but, before then, there is another トロフィー up for 得る，とらえるs and Holland should not be underestimated. They were superb when （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing England 3-1 in Guimares earlier this week and Portugal should 持つ／拘留する no 恐れるs for them today.

‘Portugal has a 広大な／多数の／重要な team, a mix of experience and young guys,’ Daley Blind, the Ajax captain, said.

The Holland defender will 捜し出す to put the 封鎖するs on Portugal 星／主役にする?Cristiano Ronaldo

‘They have shown that they have a 集団の／共同の way of approaching a match and making a goal out of noth ing. This is a home game for them and they will have many fans, but it won’t be a problem,’ Blind said.

‘It’s not a 関心 that we play against Portugal. It is not just Ronaldo; everyone knows his 質 and it is up to us to stop the attacks and stop their team. It is comfortable playing と一緒に Virgil and Matthijs de Ligt,’ he said, について言及するing the 高度に 率d young Ajax captain. ‘Mathijs a big talent and Virgil has been showing 質 all season.

‘Our strength of the team is that our defence starts with our 攻撃者s ― look at two of the goals we 得点する／非難する／２０d against England, when we were 圧力（をかける）ing high up the pitch. This is very important for us.

‘A 勝利，勝つ will give the team 信用／信任. We can go 負かす／撃墜する in history as the first 勝利者s.’

To do that, though, it will take all of their 力／強力にするs. Ronaldo was 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の in Portugal’s 半分-final 敗北・負かす of Switzerland, 得点する／非難する／２０ing the 53rd hat-trick of his career. The way he played was if he had decided that he was going to 勝利，勝つ the tournament on his own.

‘He has 証明するd himself and he can continue to play at the 最高の，を越す level for another three or four years,’ Fernando Santos, Portugal’s 長，率いる coach, 予報するd. ‘He has all these 客観的なs and is 決定するd. He is very fit. He trains to the 限界.

‘It is not normal to reach these 業績／成果s but I think he will continue for a while. He is the captain. He is a hugely important player. I think he will continue to give people joy at a club and international level. He has special 質s.’

Ronaldo is 十分な of 信用／信任 after 得点する／非難する／２０ing the 53rd hat-trick of his career in the 半分-final

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