Nations League 2025: Portugal wins thriller final against Spain
Cristiano Ronaldo burst into tears immediately after the penalty shootout in Munich. Deeply moved, the 40-year-old football superstar joined his jubilant teammates after Portugal's Nations League title – and celebrated the final victory against European champions Spain like a Champions League triumph.
"We knew we were a super team. Every footballer dreams of these moments, of finals like these – that's what drives us," said Bruno Fernandes after the dramatic final on RTL. First a goalscorer, then a fan on the sidelines: figurehead Ronaldo lifted his third trophy in the memorable final, following the 2016 European Championship and the 2019 Nations League.
After the coup against Spain's perennial winners led by Lamine Yamal, Ronaldo, who at times could no longer watch, is left with only one unfulfilled goal: the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.
Ronaldo, a multiple World Player of the Year, played a crucial role in his team's 5-3 victory in the penalty shootout (2-2, 2-2, 1-2) in the final in Munich against Spain, scoring the goal to make it 2-2. Ruben Neves emerged as the celebrated hero of the penalty shootout in the showdown, in which the substituted Ronaldo suffered from the sidelines and the bench, just as he did at Euro 2016. He converted the decisive penalty after 120 minutes of football action, after Spain's Alvaro Morata had missed.
Eight days after their triumph in the Champions League final at the same stadium, PSG defender Nuno Mendes (26th) equalized the first deficit against the Spanish side before Ronaldo (61st minute). Goals from Martín Zubimendi (21st minute) and Mikel Oyarzabal (45th minute) weren't enough for the favored Spaniards.
Just like in his 2-1 semifinal victory against Germany four days earlier, Ronaldo left the Munich arena as the winner. The generational battle with 17-year-old Yamal clearly went to the 40-year-old, who replaced Croatia's Luka Modrić (then 37) as the oldest player to appear in a Nations League final. He was a leader, goalscorer, and driving force – and once again demonstrated his exceptional class with his 138th goal in his 221st international match.
In the final stages of regular time, Ronaldo's performance finally came to a halt. The superstar sat on the ground, had to be treated, and was substituted. He hugged coach Roberto Martínez in front of the bench – and celebrated the winning goal in extra time.
Barça star Yamal, however, didn't dominate the final of the still-young UEFA competition with the stellar form he had shown in the epic 5-4 semifinal against France. Mendes often decisively restricted Yamal's range. His wing partner Nico Williams also didn't play a decisive role in the game. Will the 22-year-old make more appearances in the final arena in the future? FC Bayern Munich are said to be very interested in the Athletic Bilbao player.
In their third Nations League final in a row, the Spanish team had more trouble than expected against the skillfully disruptive Portuguese. The opening goal was not La Roja's style at all, but rather a fluke. PSG's João Neves' attempted clearance landed at the feet of Zubimendi, who effortlessly slotted home the 1-0 lead.
Oyarzabal, Spain's winning goal in the European Championship final a year ago in Berlin, also scored this time. After perfect work from Pedri, Oyarzabal finished to make it 2-1. But unlike a year ago, there was no title. At 28, he is already one of the veterans of a Spanish squad, from which nine players could play in the U21 European Championship starting this week in Slovakia. However, the team still needs to mature to achieve its major goal of the World Cup in a year's time in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
RND/dpa
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