Friendlies: Blame me for Portugal's defeat to Netherlands, says Coach

Captain Cristiano Ronaldo during Portugal's 0-3 defeat on Monday

Portugal coach Fernando Santos took full responsibility for his side's 3-0 friendly defeat to Holland in Geneva. The European champions were 2-0 down after 32 minutes following goals from Memphis Depay and Ryan Babel before Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk added a third in first-half.

Fernando Santos

The defeat was Portugal's heaviest since a 4-0 defeat to Germany in their opening game of the 2014 World Cup. "The responsibility for this defeat is mine." Santos told said. "It was me who chose the players and knew the opponent. We did not defend as normal. That is not the responsibility of player A, B or C - it is everyone's, and above all mine."

He added: "This is a tough result that obviously we are unhappy with. "Based on what I saw in the Dutch game against England, I tried to find the best tactic to play against Holland. That did not succeed enough and that is my responsibility.

"They (Holland) deserve the praise. They defended well and closed up spaces, we barely had any room. In the first half they had four chances, three went in. We did not play well enough and that's our own fault, but it's also down to the opposition as well."

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