Portugal clinched the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League title by defeating Spain 5-3 in a penalty shootout. The match, held at the Allianz Arena in Munich, had ended in a 2-2 draw after regular time. This victory, following their semifinal win over Germany on Wednesday, makes Portugal the first national team to win the UEFA Nations League twice since the competition`s inception. The decisive moment in the shootout came when Spain`s striker Alvaro Morata missed his penalty attempt, allowing Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves to convert the subsequent kick, securing the trophy for Portugal with a 5-3 scoreline.
Luis de la Fuente`s Spanish side initially took the lead through an early goal from Martin Zubimendi. However, Portugal quickly responded, leveling the score in the 26th minute thanks to Nuno Mendes, assisted by Pedro Neto. Spain regained their advantage before halftime with a goal from Mikel Oyarzabal. The score was brought level again at 2-2 in the 61st minute by Cristiano Ronaldo, who found the net with a far-post finish. This marked his 938th career goal across all competitions for both club and country.
For Ronaldo, this triumph added another major international trophy to his collection with Portugal, following the 2016 UEFA European Championship and the 2021 edition of the Nations League. He appeared emotional after the final whistle, sharing an embrace with coach Roberto Martinez in celebration and joining the Portuguese supporters in their revelry.
