Portugal 5-1 Poland: Five talking points as Cristiano Ronaldo's overhead kick highlights five-star Selecao win
Cristiano Ronaldo continued his fine run of form in the UEFA Nations League with Portugal's 5-1 win over Poland on Friday (November 15). The legendary forward rolled back the years to score a fantastic overhead kick to wrap up the scoring for his nation.
Rafael Leao scored the first goal for Portugal with a fine header just before the hour mark after connecting with a sweet Nuno Mendes cross. Ronaldo doubled his nation's lead in the 72nd minute through a penalty before Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes made it 3-0 with a fine strike in the 80th minute.
Ronaldo turned from goal machine to provider in the 83rd minute when he set up Chelsea's Pedro Neto, and wrapped up the scoring for Portugal with a glorious overhead kick in the 87th minute. Poland then bagged a consolation goal at the Dragao in the 88th minute after Jakub Kiwior set up Dominik Marczuk to make it 5-1.
Cristiano Ronaldo is a man who constantly gets tongues wagging, and in a match like this, there are more than a few talking points to discuss following the final whistle.
Five talking points as Cristiano Ronaldo's overhead kick highlights Portugal's win
#5 Cristiano Ronaldo and the overhead kick
Cristiano Ronaldo was born to make the headlines and he did so in the most fantastic way in the game. The Real Madrid legend bagged his 910th career goal with an overhead kick of the highest quality for Portugal late in the game.
Paris Saint-German midfielder Vitinha will take the plaudits for the assist, but Ronaldo's conditioning and ability were fully displayed for the goal. He also added an assist to his impressive tally, which now stands at 45.
#4 Premier League representation at the highest level
Five players in Portugal's starting lineup play in the Premier League, continuing to give credence to the English top-flight's claim of being the best in the world. Renato Veiga, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Pedro Neto, Diogo Dalot, and the later introduced Joao Felix play for Manchester City, Chelsea, and Manchester United.
The Selecao will hope their players continue playing in the best leagues in Europe before the 2026 World Cup.
#3 Rafael Leao is a bonafide superstar
In a game where Cristiano Ronaldo will take all the plaudits, AC Milan star Rafael Leao's brilliant performance for Portugal could be overlooked. However, the winger is an absolute delight to watch, and he ripped the Polish defense to shreds on his side of the pitch.
The 25-year-old completed 93% of his passes (25/27) and won seven out of 12 duels in the match while bagging a goal to underline his brilliant performance. The smiling maestro was a joy to watch, as always, and looked dangerous in this game.
#2 Vitinha, the game changer
Looking at the scoreline, it is easy for someone who did not watch the game to believe the scoring started in the second half. However, the goals came after halftime following the introduction of PSG star Vitinha for his club teammate Joao Neves.
The 24-year-old came on after the break and completed 70 out of 71 passes, two of which were assists, while making five recoveries and winning two duels. It is hard to see any justification for leaving him out of the Portugal starting lineup now, and his chemistry with Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva in the middle of the park could be a massive weapon for Roberto Martinez's side.
#1 At least Piotr Zielinski had a good game
While the victorious side deserves all the accolades, there is something to be said for the alliance of the vanquished. Poland held out till the second half before conceding a goal, and most importantly, Inter Milan star Piotr Zielinski came out of the game with his head held high.
The Polish skipper was admirable in the game. He completed 95% of his passes (40/42) and won two tackles in the middle of the park to give his country a chance. He also created four chances in the game and could have decided the tie with his efforts in midfield on another day.