Cristiano Ronaldo was in tears. At 40 years old, the Portugal captain had just won his third major tournament with his country. The emotion was too much as he watched Ruben Neves slot home the winning penalty to secure Portugal’s second Nations League title.
Spain came into Sunday’s final in Munich with an unbeaten run stretching back to March 2023. They were the holders. They were European champions. But football doesn’t care about form books when penalties are involved.
Spain Takes Early Control
Luis de la Fuente’s side looked sharp from the off. Martin Zubimendi gave them the lead after just 21 minutes, tapping home his second international goal. For a moment, it felt like business as usual for Spain.
Portugal had other ideas. Five minutes later, Nuno Mendes equalised with a smart finish after good work from Ronaldo (150.82) in the build-up. The veteran striker might be 40, but his football brain remains as sharp as ever.
Spain wasn’t done. A sublime pass from Pedri found Mikel Oyarzabal, who restored their lead before the break. The Athletic Bilbao forward knows how to score in big finals – he netted the winner against England at Euro 2024.
Ronaldo Strikes Again
The second half belonged to Portugal’s number seven. Just past the hour mark, Ronaldo pounced from close range to level things at 2-2. It was his 138th goal in 219 appearances for Portugal – both records that may never be broken.
The goal also moved Ronaldo to 15 Nations League goals, making him the joint second-highest scorer in the competition’s history. Only Norway’s Erling Haaland (500.42) has more with 19.
Ronaldo went off injured late on, limping off with what looked like muscle problems. Without their talisman, Portugal couldn’t find a winner in extra time.
Penalties Decide It
Both teams scored their first three penalties. Then Alvaro Morata stepped up for Spain. Diogo Costa dived to his right and saved it. The miss proved costly.
Ruben Neves had the chance to win it for Portugal. He didn’t waste it. The midfielder sent the Spanish keeper the wrong way and sparked wild celebrations.
Portugal had done it. They became the first nation to win the Nations League twice, adding to their 2019 triumph.
The Numbers Tell the Story
The statistics paint a picture of a tight contest. Spain had dominated possession, but Portugal were clinical when it mattered. In a game of fine margins, penalties made the difference.
“Our fighting spirit and togetherness were decisive today,” Bruno Fernandes told DAZN afterwards. “We knew it would be a tough game. Spain is one of the best national teams in the world.”
Spain boss De la Fuente was philosophical in defeat. “Details do make the difference,” he said. “When we were coming to the end of extra time, I thought we were doing enough to avoid penalties. Sadly, that’s what decided the match.”
Ronaldo’s Legacy Grows
For Ronaldo, this was trophy number three with Portugal: Euro 2016, Nations League 2019, and now Nations League 2025. Not bad for a player many wrote off years ago.
The Al-Nassr striker confirmed this game would conclude his season. Despite offers to play in the FIFA Club World Cup, he’s chosen to rest ahead of what could be his final years in football.
Earlier on Sunday, France beat Germany 2-0 in Stuttgart to claim third place. Kylian Mbappe scored one and set up another for Michael Olise as Les Bleus recovered from a poor first half.
But this night belonged to Portugal and their evergreen captain. At an age when most players are long retired, Ronaldo is still winning trophies. Still making history. Still crying tears of joy in front of 65,852 fans in Munich.
Some things never change.
