Cristiano Ronaldo is to start the semifinal for Portugal despite the mystery surrounding his immediate club future

What is the UEFA Nations League?

The competition was formed to give more meaning to international matches played outside the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championships.

Instead of a flow of international friendlies, which had become devalued by players and fans alike, nations now compete in a structured format that ends in a country being crowned Nations League champions.

Does Nations League success bring World Cup qualification?

The teams that finish in the top two of their World Cup qualifying groups in Europe will automatically progress to the FIFA World Cup.

The four highest placed teams from the Nations League that did not finish in the top two of their World Cup qualifying groups are then given an extra shot at reaching the global game’s showpiece event.

It is an added incentive to all teams as a back-up plan should their official World Cup qualifying campaign fall flat.

How is the Nations League structured?

There are four groups in League A of the Nations League, four in League B and four in League C.

The top two teams from each of the League A groups qualify for the knockout stages of the competition, which begins at the quarterfinals stage. Leagues B and C try to gain promotion to League A to incentivise all teams in their international match-ups and to offer the chance of reaching the final and lifting the trophy to all.

Who did Germany and Portugal beat in the quarterfinals?

Germany, who finished top of Group 3 in League A, beat Italy 5-4 in their last-eight encounter over two legs.

Portugal, who finished top of Group 1, beat Denmark 5-3 on aggregate in their quarterfinal.

Both sides were unbeaten in the six-match group stage, which concluded in November.

What is the latest on Ronaldo?

Cristiano Ronaldo is to start the semifinal for Portugal despite the mystery surrounding his immediate club future – which looks likely to result in an appearance at FIFA’s Club World Cup this month.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star posted on social media on the final day of the Saudi Pro League that his time with Saudi Arabian top-flight team Al Nassr had come to an end.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino had already revealed that talks were under way for a loan for Ronaldo to play for one of the teams competing at the competition being staged in the United States.

A star performance by the 40-year-old in the semifinal and potential final of the Nations League would significantly up the stakes for his next move – and his potential late arrival as a headline act at the Club World Cup.

Who did Portugal beat in the inaugural final?

Portugal beat the Netherlands 1-0 in the 2019 final.

The match itself was played on home soil for the Portuguese at Porto’s Estadio do Dragao, where Goncalo Guedes scored the only goal of the game in the 60th minute.

Head-to-head

This will be the 12th time that the two nations have met. Germany has won on seven occasions, and Portugal has recorded just one win.

The Germans have won the last five encounters, which had all been at either FIFA World Cups or UEFA European Championships.