Portugal has successfully lifted the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League trophy, overcoming rivals Spain in a tense penalty shootout held at the Allianz Arena in Munich. The final match had ended in a 2-2 draw after regular time. Following their semifinal win against Germany earlier in the week, Portugal made history by becoming the first national team to clinch the UEFA Nations League title on two separate occasions since the tournament`s inception. The penalty shootout concluded with a 5-3 scoreline in favor of Portugal, decided when Spanish forward Alvaro Morata failed to convert his crucial spot-kick, immediately followed by Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves finding the net to secure the victory.
Under the management of Luis de la Fuente, Spain opened the scoring early through Martin Zubimendi. However, Portugal quickly responded, with Nuno Mendes leveling the score in the 26th minute after receiving an assist from Pedro Neto. Spain regained their lead just before halftime thanks to Mikel Oyarzabal. The prolific Cristiano Ronaldo, however, ensured the match went to penalties by scoring Portugal`s second equalizer in the 61st minute with a well-placed shot towards the far post. This goal marked a significant milestone for Ronaldo, representing his 938th career goal across all competitions for both club and country.
This triumph adds another major honor to Cristiano Ronaldo`s illustrious international career, marking his third trophy with Portugal, alongside the UEFA Euro 2016 title and the 2021 (as stated in the original text) edition of the Nations League. After the hard-fought final against Spain, Ronaldo was visibly emotional, celebrating the victory by embracing coach Roberto Martinez and sharing the momentous occasion with the overjoyed Portugal supporters.
