Conductor Vitinha
Vitinha returned to the Allianz Arena to bring order to Portugal , just days after lifting the Champions League title with PSG .
True to his image as the outstanding conductor of contemporary football, he was present in Munich to decide the UEFA Nations League semi-final, Portugal vs Germany .
The PSG star came on in the second half , when Portugal were behind. He, along with Bernardo Silva and Chico Concei , helped the visitors turn the game around, pushing Germany into the abyss.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann's team has not lost a match since the EURO 2024 quarter-finals against Spain . On the night of June 4 , that unbeaten streak ended.
It is even more impressive that it has been 40 years since Portugal beat Germany away from home.
At the Allianz Arena, Florian Wirtz's opening goal as the two teams returned to the pitch after the break forced coach Roberto Martinez to change the way he deployed the ball.
Portugal abandoned their wing-attacking style and lucky crosses to serve Cristiano Ronaldo – a tactic that was easily neutralized by Germany 's tall defense.
Vitinha's arrival awakened pent-up creativity, transforming the midfield into a rhythmic ball-distribution machine.
Vitinha's difference lies not only in his technique but also in his ability to organize and control the tempo. At PSG this season, he is the one who regulates all directions of the ball deployment, helping Ousmane Dembele or Desire Doue benefit.
Vitinha does not play ostentatiously, but is always at the right time and place. The kind of conductor who does not need a stage.
The match against Germany was a clear example: when Vitinha entered the field, everything immediately fell into place.
After Conceicao's inspiring equalizer, Vitinha continued to leave his mark on the decisive goal: he passed the ball precisely to Nuno Mendes, allowing his PSG teammate to assist Ronaldo to score.
Ronaldo spoke up at the right time
Cristiano Ronaldo – at 40 years old – had an unremarkable first 45 minutes, but with the order created by Vitinha, he still knew how to appear in the right place at the right time.
Ronaldo's simple yet heroic strike not only sent Portugal into the Nations League final, but also proved he is still an effective striker, moving closer to the milestone of 1,000 professional goals.
There is one problem: Roberto Martinez often builds a tactical system of stuffing the ball for Ronaldo, causing the team to generally lack creativity.
That made Portugal lack flexibility at EURO 2024. The first half of the match against Germany also followed that path.
Portugal only really exploded when Vitinha appeared - a midfielder whose value Martinez still hasn't known how to exploit.
At this point, Portugal is arguably the country with the most football talent in the world by area . It was only when his position was shaken (he could be fired if he lost to Germany) that Martinez used these talents.
Vitinha is the embodiment of the new generation: calm, intelligent and efficient. He helps "rejuvenate" Ronaldo, not needing to run much but moving at the same pace to have a chance to finish.
Ronaldo, with his 137th international goal – 85 since his 30th birthday – showed he has reason to put pressure on Saudi Arabia for a new contract, as well as giving Portugal hope of winning the 2026 World Cup.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/bo-dao-nha-ha-duc-2-1-o-nations-league-vitinha-chap-canh-ronaldo-2408367.html
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