Bookmakers can’t split hosts PORTUGAL and ENGLAND in their betting for next year’s Nations League after the semi-final draw was made in Ireland earlier this week:
June 5: Portugal vs Switzerland (Estadio Dragao, Porto)
June 6: Netherlands vs England (Estadio D Afonso Henriques, Vitoria)
June 9: Winner semi-final 1 vs winner semi-final 2
June 9: Loser semi-final 1 vs loser semi-final 2
England are the highest ranked team in the semi-finals (fifth), according to FIFA, but only one place ahead of Portugal (sixth). SWITZERLAND are eighth in the world rankings with the NETHERLANDS the lowest ranked team in 14th. The Dutch were the only one of the quartet not to qualify for this year’s World Cup finals but have made giant strides since Ronald Koeman took over coaching duties and beat both world champions France and Germany to reach the Nations League semi-final. Switzerland overcame Belgium and Iceland while Portugal finished ahead of Italy and Poland. England beat Spain and Croatia in their group.
Portugal and Switzerland finished level on points in their World Cup qualifying group last year and their head-to-head results were also identical as per home advantage. The Swiss won the only other competitive match between the two countries in the last 10 years. England have only won one of their five competitive matches with the Netherlands but it was the last one, in 1996, and a Jesse Lingard goal won a friendly between the two teams in Amsterdam earlier this year, Koeman’s first match in charge. England have won three matches against Switzerland without conceding a goal since 2014 but had failed to beat Portugal in five matches since 2000 prior to a 1-0 friendly win at Wembley in 2016. Portugal have only lost twice in 12 meetings with the Netherlands since 1990, winning seven of those games.
The Nations League has quickly become a hit with players and fans alike and has hopefully made meaningless friendlies a thing of the past for European teams. Success leads to advantages in European Championship draws and there is no reason why the final stages next June will not be taken seriously with silverware up for grabs. It could be Cristiano Ronaldo’s swansong in international football and a chance to go out in a blaze of glory in front of his own fans but England and the Netherlands are two of the most exciting and progressive nations in European football at present and both packed with young and emerging talent. The winners of their semi-final may well end up winners with Gareth Southgate’s team a best 2/1 with Unibet – the Netherlands are a general 10/3.
Nations League 2019 Outright Winners Best Odds
England and Portugal 2/1
Netherland 10/3
Switzerland 13/2
(Odds correct at 6.15pm December 4)
