Portugal 2-2 (5-3 on pens) Spain
A showpiece to round off the international season; silverware at stake and a rare chance for arguably the greatest player the world has ever seen to share a pitch with a teenager tipped to be the next sensation.
Never mind that it’s June 8 and footballers should be on the beach, here was a contest to excite the purists.
Neighbours on the Iberian peninsula, Portugal and Spain, vying for their second UEFA Nations League crown, but only one of them would stand tall at the Allianz Arena. Who would prevail?
Highlights of the game
The SBOTOP Nations League 2025 betting odds naturally backed the European champions who hadn’t lost a competitive game since a 2-0 reverse in Scotland more than two years ago.
As for Portugal, inaugural winners six years ago, they had continued to deliver
Nations League 2025 highlights, eliminating Denmark and hosts Germany to get here and, in Cristiano Ronaldo, led by a player who netted his 137th senior international goal when he scored the semi-final winner.
Before kick-off, he had issued a rousing message to his team-mates as he urged them to make history.
With playmaker Bruno Fernandes, who sustained an ankle injury against Germany, passed fit to play, manager Roberto Martinez had the same squad with full-back Joao Cancelo the only confirmed absence.
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente handed a start to Fabian Ruiz, following his Champions League exertions, alongside Pedri and Martin Zubimendi.
Rodri was their only main absentee as he recovers from a serious injury sustained last September.
Compelling from start to finish, holders Spain opened the scoring when Mikel Oyarzabal flicked the ball on, Zubimendi carried it forward before finding the aforementioned teenage sensation Lamine Yamal whose dinked ball was poorly defended, allowing Zubimendi to slot into an empty net.
The lead lasted just a few minutes as Ronaldo laid the ball off to Pedro Neto who pulled it back for full-back Nuno Mendes. There was still plenty to do at this stage but he went past two defenders and rifled a fine shot into the far bottom corner.
Spain were back ahead on the stroke of half-time when another of their star youngsters, Pedri, played a super through ball to Oyarzabal who had the beating of his markers before firing past Diogo Costa into the bottom corner.
A clever finish from Fernandes early in the second half was disallowed for offside but Portugal and their captain were not to be denied and, cometh the hour, cometh the man, as goal number 138 arrived.
Mendes had too much for Yamal on the left and his deflected cross found Ronaldo who lost his marker to hook in an equaliser from six yards.
138 goals in 221 internationals. Phenomenal.
There was still an hour to play at this stage (when you include extra-time), and time for Isco’s first Spain cap in six years, but the scoring was all done and these rivals could only be separated by a penalty shoot-out.
After Costa saved a spot kick from substitute Alvaro Morata, Ruben Neves slotted home the winning penalty and an emotional Ronaldo, by then substituted, joined his team-mates on the pitch to celebrate his third international trophy – one European Championship and two Nations Leagues.
It’s Portugal again!
Key statistics
No player has scored more goals against Spain than Ronaldo in all competitions over the past two decades (Eduardo Vargas also has four).
Oyarzabal has become the first player in Spanish history to score in three different finals (Nations League in 2021, Euro 2024 and Nations League in 2025).
Eight days ago, man of the match Mendes, Joao Neves, Vitinha and Goncalo Ramos celebrated winning the Champions League with PSG at the Allianz Arena. Now they’re celebrating winning the Nations League with Portugal at the Allianz Arena.
What’s next?
That is a wrap for these two nations, although some of their players will now head straight to the States for the newly fangled World Club Championship.
For the international sides, Portugal will be next in action against Armenia in a World Cup qualifier on September 6, two days after Spain travel to Bulgaria in their own qualification group.
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