Ruben Neves scored the decisive penalty as Portugal triumphed over Spain 5-3 in a shootout after the two sides ended regular time with a 2-2 draw. The match, held in Munich on Sunday, secured Portugal their second Nations League crown.
Throughout the game, Portugal showed resilience by twice coming back from behind. Spain first took the lead in the 21st minute when Martin Zubimendi capitalized on a moment of confusion in the Portuguese defense to put his team ahead.
However, Portugal quickly responded with a goal from the impressive Nuno Mendes just five minutes later, leveling the score.
Spain regained the lead just before halftime through Mikel Oyarzabal, who has now scored in three international finals, including the Euro 2024 final and the last two Nations League finals. Oyarzabal’s goal gave Spain a 2-1 advantage going into the break.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who had been quiet for much of the match, scored the equalizer for Portugal in the 61st minute.
After a cross from Mendes was deflected, Ronaldo quickly took control of the ball, outmuscling Spain’s Marc Cucurella and volleying it into the net. This marked Ronaldo’s fourth goal in ten matches against Spain.
Despite his efforts, Ronaldo had to leave the field late in the match due to cramping. Portugal controlled much of the extra time but neither team managed to score, leading the match to penalties.
Both teams converted their first three penalty kicks. Then, Mendes scored Portugal’s fourth spot kick. Spain’s Álvaro Morata missed his chance by shooting directly at Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa. With the opportunity to win the match, Ruben Neves calmly scored the final penalty, sending Portugal’s fans into celebration.
This victory is only Portugal’s second competitive win over Spain, with the first being a 1-0 win at Euro 2004 that saw a young Ronaldo play on the wing. Portugal also became the first nation to win the Nations League twice since the tournament began in 2018. This win adds to their previous major titles, including their Euro 2016 triumph.
Spain had started strongly, with players like Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal causing problems early on. However, Portugal’s determination and key moments from Mendes, Ronaldo, and Neves proved crucial in the end.
