Portugal has claimed the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League title, defeating Spain in a dramatic penalty shootout at the Allianz Arena in Munich. The match ended 2-2 after regulation time. Following their semifinal victory over Germany, Portugal becomes the first nation to secure the UEFA Nations League trophy twice since the competition`s inception. Spain`s decisive penalty was missed by Alvaro Morata, while Portugal`s Ruben Neves converted his spot-kick to seal a 5-3 shootout win and the title for his team.
Luis de la Fuente`s Spanish side took an early lead thanks to Martin Zubimendi. However, Portugal quickly responded, leveling the score in the 26th minute through Nuno Mendes, assisted by Pedro Neto. Spain regained the lead before halftime with a goal from Mikel Oyarzabal, but Cristiano Ronaldo found the equalizer for Portugal in the 61st minute, securing the 2-2 scoreline with a far-post finish. This goal marked Ronaldo`s 938th career goal across all competitions for club and country.
For Cristiano Ronaldo, this victory represents his third major international trophy with Portugal, adding to the UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2019 UEFA Nations League titles. Ronaldo appeared visibly emotional after the final whistle, embracing coach Roberto Martinez and celebrating the historic win with the jubilant Portuguese supporters.
