With the first edition of the UEFA Nations League kicking off in Portugal next week, the four participants announced their final 23-man squads this week.
For the hosts, Portugal, Benfica’s young promising forward Joao Felix is in the squad, while defender Ruben Dias made it also as the younger players in the team. There weren’t many surprises in the team with Rui Patricio, Joao Moutinho, Pepe, and Cristiano Ronaldo as the veterans of the team.
There weren’t many eyebrows raised in the Switzerland camp either with many of the same players coming into the squad. Breel Embolo, Haris Seferovic, and Josip Drmic will be up top, Granit Xhaka will anchor the midfield, while Xherdan Shaqiri is in the squad despite being in Madrid for the Champions League Final on June 1. Manuel Akanji made the team although he missed the end of the season for Borussia Dortmund.
Netherlands brought in their three gems from Ajax; Matthijs De Ligt, Frenkie De Jong, and Donny van de Beek are the youngest players in the squad, while Virgil van Dijk is in the same position as Shaqiri, but is in the squad.
Some omissions for Gareth Southgate’s squad were tough, but Kieran Trippier and Harry Winks were cut from the final team. Declan Rice, Jadon Sancho, and Callum Wilson are some of the newer players in the squad for June’s tournament.
Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Jordan Henderson, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, and Eric Dier are all in the squad despite being in the Champions League Final on Saturday, June 1.
Portugal and Switzerland will meet at the Estadio Do Dragao in Lisbon on June 5 at 2:45 p.m. EST. while Netherlands and England will face off on June 6 at the Estadio D. Alfonso Henriques in Guimarães.
The third/fourth place game and the final will be played on June 9.
Squads
Portugal: Beto, Jose Sa, Rui Patricio; Joao Cancelo, Nelson Semedo, Jose Fonte, Pepe, Ruben Dias, Raphael Guerreiro, Mario Rui; Danilo, Ruben Neves, William Carvalho, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Moutinho, Pizzi; Bernardo Silva, Joao Felix, Rafa Silvo, Goncalo Guedes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Diogo Jota, Dyego Sousa.
Switzerland: Yann Sommer, Yvon Mvogo, Jonas Omlin; Manuel Akanji, Loris Benito, Nico Elvedi, Micahel Lang, Kevin Mbabu, Francois Moubandje, Ricardo Rodriguez, Fabian Schar; Edmilson Fernandes, Remo Freuler, Xherdan Shaqiri, Renato Steffen, Djbril Sow, Granit Xhaka, Denis Zakaria, Steven Zuber; Josip Drmic, Haris Seferovic, Breel Embolo, Albian Ajeti.
Netherlands: Jasper Cillessen, Kenneth Vermeer, Marco Bizot; Nathan Ake, Daley Blind, Denzel Dumfries, Stefan de Vrij, Matthijs de Ligt, Hans Hateboer, Patrick van Aanholt, Virgil van Dijk; Frenkie de Jong, Marten de Roon, Davy Propper, Kevin Strootman, Donny van de Beek, Tonny Vilhena, Georginio Wijnaldum; Ryan Babel, Steven Bergwijn, Luuk de Jon, Memphis Depay, Quincy Promes.
England: Jordan Pickford, Tom Heaton, Jack Butland; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ben Chilwell, Joe Gomez, Michael Keane, Harry Maguire, Danny Rose, John Stones, Kyle Walker; Dele Alli, Ross Barkley, Eric Dier, Fabian Delph, Jordan Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Declan Rice; Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Raheem Sterling, Callum Wilson.
Pierre's Footy Talk 