2025-06-08

Portugal beat Spain on penalties after a 2-2 draw in Munich to win the Nations League for a second time.

The final swung back and forth before being settled by the shootout. Spain opened the scoring through Martin Zubimendi in the 21st minute, Portugal levelled through Nuno Mendes five minutes later, and Mikel Oyarzabal restored Spain’s lead before the break. Cristiano Ronaldo then brought Portugal back into the match in the 61st minute, ensuring there was no winner in normal time or extra time.

Portugal held its nerve in the shootout. Ruben Neves converted the decisive penalty after Diogo Costa saved Alvaro Morata’s attempt, completing a 5-3 victory on penalties. The result made Portugal the first team to win two Nations League titles, following its inaugural triumph in 2019.

The match was significant not only because it produced a trophy, but because it brought together several of Europe’s most prominent names on one stage. Ronaldo, who had been one of the key figures in the build-up, scored his 138th international goal and helped keep Portugal alive when Spain had control of the game. He was later substituted before extra time, then watched from the sidelines as his teammates finished the job.

Nuno Mendes also stood out. He scored Portugal’s equaliser, helped contain Spain’s attacking threat, and remained influential throughout a final that many fans expected to be decided by fine margins. BBC Sport’s live text and post-match coverage made clear that Portugal’s substitutions and tactical adjustments also mattered, as the team found a way back into a match that Spain seemed to be steering at points.

Spain will rue the missed opportunity. Having won the 2023 edition, it was bidding for back-to-back titles in the competition, but could not turn its early control into a second trophy. Oyarzabal’s composed finish and the early territorial advantage were not enough once Portugal recovered momentum.

The shootout also carried emotional weight for Ronaldo, who was seen in tears as the final penalty was converted and then celebrated with teammates after the trophy presentation. For a player who has won so much at club and international level, the Nations League victory added another line to a long list of honours, but it was also a reminder that he still remains central to Portugal at 40.

The final was not the most open match, but it had enough momentum shifts to justify its billing. Spain started with control, Portugal found its way back, and the shootout turned the game into a test of nerve rather than style. Neves held his nerve, Costa made the decisive save, and Portugal walked away with a trophy that confirms its place among the competition’s defining teams.