Whoever ends up making the telling impact in tonight's Nations League Final between Portugal and the Netherlands in the Estadio do Dragao, it is probably fair to say that both Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk will have their fingerprints smudged all over the game.

Ronaldo's goalscoring instincts still haven't dulled, even at the age of 34. He was the focal point of a Juventus attack which romped to their eighth successive Scudetto in his debut season in Serie A.

Meanwhile, though, some 1,600km away Liverpool's totemic Dutchman van Dijk was making a habit of handcuffing the best attackers that the Premier League had to offer en route to his side's best season in decades. 

The clash between arguably the two best attacking and defensive talents in world football will serve as a centrepiece to Sunday's Nations League Final - and possibly give one of them a head start in the race to the 2019 Ballon d'Or.

Ronaldo's exploits in front of goal need little elucidation. The Portuguese is one of the most natural goalscorers of his generation, an attribute built on almost pig-headed reluctance to settle for second-best.

He has tallied five Ballon d'Ors in his career, a figure matched by Lionel Messi, but you can be certain that he will not be truly satiated until he pulls away from his Argentinian rival.

Virgil van Dijk stands in his way - and not just on Sunday evening. The English Player of the Year has been revelation at Anfield since completing a record-breaking move from Southamption 18-months ago.

A defender hasn't won world football's top individual prize since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006 but, according to Jose Mourinho at least, it remains very much a possibility for van Dijk.

"I think Van Dijk, why not a defender?" Mourinho said to RT. "But didn’t win the Premier League, in spite of [the fact that] he was considered the best player.

"But if Holland manages to go Portugal [in the Nations League] and win a trophy, a small trophy but a trophy, that can play [a role in deciding the Ballon d’Or]."

Cannavaro's Ballon d'Or came on the back of him captaining Italy to the 2006 World Cup, so it remains to be seen if van Dijk's successful Champions League campaign this year will be enough to place him in front of other contenders. 

His accomplishment appears to trump that of Ronaldo, at least according to Mourinho.

"The World Cups and the Champions Leagues and the Euros, they are the ones that have something to say about it," he said. "But Cristiano [Ronaldo] was only Italian champion."

That leaves 90 minutes to make an impact. And you can bet that at least one of them will. 

Where is the game?

The Nations League Final between Portugal and the Netherlands takes place in the Estadio do Dragao, home of FC Porto.

When is it?

It is scheduled to begin at 7.45pm UK time. There will be extra-time and potentially penalties if the scores remain level past 90 minutes.

Team News

Teenage sensation Joao Felix is expected to partner Cristiano Ronaldo up front for Portugal in front of a midfield stocked by Wolves duo Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves. Manchester City's dynamic forward Bernardo Silva will also cause headaches for the Dutch rearguard.

The Netherlands are currently seeing the fruits of a so-called 'golden generation', with the outstanding 19-year-old Matthijs de Ligt to partner van Dijk at the heart of the defense. Barcelona-bound Frenkie De Jong will be the creative force in the middle of the pitch, while ex-Manchester United forward Memphis Depay is the man tasked with being the primary goalscoring threat.