Football news - Brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick sends Portugal into Nations League final

An absolutely wondrous hat-trick from the absolutely wondrous Cristiano Ronaldo savaged football from the wreckage of another VAR mes and sent Portugal into the inaugural final of the Nations League. They will play England or Netherlands on Sunday.

The game was an entertaining one from the off with both sides looking to attack at pace. And on 25 minutes we got the opening goal, Ronaldo striking a free-kick sweetly - though Jan Sommer obliged by guessing which way it would go, incorrectly.

Switzerland, though, had chances before falling behind and chances afterwards, so it was not surprising when they equalised on 57 minutes, though entirely surprising how they equalised. Xherdan Shaqiri, who had a fine night, lifted a clever pass into the path of Steven Zuber; Nelson Semedo challenged, nothing untoward seemed to happen and the ref said no penalty. Then Portugal raced down the other end, Kevin Mbabu fouled Bernardo Silva and the ref said penalty … then checked VAR and awarded one to Switzerland!

Both sides pressed for winner, but just as it looked as though none was forthcoming Ronaldo, who’d had a dog of game, scored belters on 88 and 90 minutes because that’s just jaw the universe works. And he didn’t even look sharp tonight - whoever faces him on Sunday had better look out.

VAR is a joke. Adults should be able to handle a referreeing error and should raise their children to do likewise. It doesn't matter that much who wins and who loses, but a game which is easy to understand, especially for those in the stands, which flows and whose celebrations are not hampered by fear of cancellation, is very important indeed.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) An amazing hat-trick - another amazing hat-trick, and he has 53 in his career now - is why this game went as it did. We'll never see anyone remotely like him ever again.

Portugal: Rui Patricio 6, Semedo 6, Pepe 6, Ruben Dias 6, Guerreiro 7, Carvalho 8, Ruben Neves 6, Fernandes 6, Bernardo 7, Joao Felix 5, Ronaldo 9. Subs: Fonte 6, Guedes 6, Moutinho 6.

Switzerland: Sommer 5, Schar 6, Akanji 5, Rondriguez 6, Mbabu 6, Zakaria 6, Xhaka 5, Freuler 6, Zuber 7, Shaqiri 8, Seferovic 6. Subs: Fernandes 6, Steffen 6, Drmic 6.

Ronaldo's hat-trick was his seventh for Portugal and his 53rd overall.

Two of Ronaldo's last four goals for Portugal have come from free-kicks. That is so of only two of his previous 52.

12’ - Ye've gottae score! Akanji passes it across the face of his own box, picking out Bernardo, who stretches and puts Ronaldo in, through the middle and just left of centre. He flips an early shot wide of the near post and looks exceedingly disgusted except him being him it looks more like he's affronted.

25’ - WHAT A GOAL! Portugal 1-0 Switzerland (Ronaldo) WHAT A GOAL! Portugal 1-0 Switzerland (Ronaldo) Dearie me, he is rrrridiculous! Ronaldo goes with the sidefooter, wiping across it to send the ball right as Sommer gambles left. It's a lovely hit, it really is, but the keeper looks a little silly there - it was a cross between Basler for Bayern Munich in the 1999 European Cup final and Ronaldo v Arsenal in the 2009 semi second leg.

42’ - Switzerland are finding plenty of joy down their right and again Shaqiri attacks the space before slotting a perfect pass to Mbabu outside him. Again, the pass of choice is a cut-back, and this time Seferovic turns his shot onto the top of the bar!

53’ - Shaqiri lofts a clever long pass over the top - he's played well tonight - but Zubar goes down as Semedo challenges. There's not enough going on there for it to be a penalty, I'd say, but what's this?! Portugal go down the other end, Ronaldo checks inside the box, Bernardo takes over and dips inside from on the by-line ... just as a slide comes in from Mbabu. He waits for it, goes down, and the ref says penalty ... but now he's going to check VAr for the Zuber one!

55’ - Zuber appears to knock his own leg chasing that ball. I don't think that's a penalty ... but the referee does! Penalty to Switzerland! This is a new one, I think - play continuing like that, a penalty awarded, only for the ref to go back and give one to the other team. I hope everyone's happy with themselves.

57’ - GOAL! Portugal 1-1 Switzerland (Rodriguez pen) This isn't a good effort, but it does the job! Rodriguez stalls, telegraphs and sidefoots low to Rui Patricio's left - the keeper was there to save, but dived over it.

88’ - WHAT A GOAL! Portugal 2-1 Switzerland (Ronaldo) Don't say I didn't warn you. A fine pass from Ruben Neves, lofted left to right, finds Bernardo just inside the box. His cut-back is perfect, and Ronaldo raps a perfect finish inside the near post from 12 yards. I cannot believe how good he is, I really cannot.

90’ - WHAT A GOAL! Portugal 3-1 Switzerland (Ronaldo 90) Shut up! My fingers do not want to type because no words can do this ludicrous individual justice - he is so amazing I can't cope. Switzerland get caught upfield and Bernardo puts Ronaldo away at inside-left; he chucks a couple of lollipops, squaring his man then turning him inside-out before power-curling a luscious finish into the far side-netting. It's a hat-trick, from an absolute dog of a performance!