⏪ Portugal outlast Spain to seal Nations League win | OneFootball

Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the big one! Welcome as we continue our live blog across the final day of the UEFA Nations League, with Munich set for what should prove to be a fantastic final spectacle.

It's Portugal vs Spain and Ronaldo vs Yamal as the Iberian rivals are each on the hunt for their second winner's medal in the competition.

In case you missed it earlier:

France sealed a third-place finish after dispatching a disappointing Germany in front of home support at Stuttgart's MHPArena.

Scorers: Mbappé 45', Olise 84'

What an end to the final, with Ronaldo justifiably incapable of hiding his emotions on the touchline.

A fully deserved win for Portugal, who expertly shut down Lamine Yamal and twice fought back to earn a chance to seal a dramatic win in Munich.

Thanks for joining us once again!

✅ NEVES!!! PORTUGAL WINS!!!

❌ MORATA MISSES!!

✅ MENDES: 4-3 PORTUGAL

✅ ISCO: SPAIN LEVEL AGAIN

✅ FERNANDES: 3-2 PORTUGAL

✅ BAENA: SPAIN LEVEL AT 2-2

✅ VITINHA: 2-1 PORTUGAL

✅ SPAIN CONVERT, 1-1: MERINO

✅ 1-0 PORTUGAL: RAMOS

The takers are set. Here we go...

It just had to go to penalties to keep up appearances.

This fixture has ended level on five previous occasions.

The last time these two squared off in a shoot-out, Spain won 4-2 in the semi-finals of Euro 2012.

CHANCE!!

Jota heads over the bar in the final action of extra time.

Penalties will now decide the winner of the 2025 Nations League.

Any mistake now would be costly and then some. Both sides seem to be settling into the shoot-out reality, but Spain still looks for gaps in the Portuguese lines, which will suit their Iberian rival who are happy to break in the final minutes as they have looked to do all evening.

Oyarzabal is now being removed as full planning for the shoot-out continues. Álvaro Morata is coming on in his place.

CHANCE!

Panic stations as Porro tries to chip Costa from the halfway line! Desperation could be setting in here.

Yamal has been subbed off for the final 15 minutes, replaced by Yeremy Pino.

Diogo Jota comes on for Pedro Neto for Portugal.

Fifteen minutes into the book. Fifteen more minutes to go before the prospect of a penalty shoot-out dictates final terms in the Bavarian heartland.

Yamal has a pop from distance in a bid to find a winner but his effort is driven straight into the arms of Costa. That was never troubling the Porto man.

Which also comes to nothing.

Portugal have been the better side in the opening period of extra time, and look to be feeding off the Ronaldo equaliser earlier.

It comes to nothing, but Portugal now have a free-kick after Yamal brought down Leão

Porro brilliantly denies Leão at a critical moment, but the Milan winger has been influential since his introduction.

Portugal have a corner...

Baena and Mendes are the players to enter the book.

PENALTY CLAIMS DENIED!

Mendes drives brilliantly into the box before going to ground, with Portugal shouting for a penalty only for their protests to be waved away.

Multiple cards have been dished out due to a scrum after the fact.

CHANCE!

The ball falls to Cucurella outside the box but the Chelsea full-back, in plenty of space, could only float his effort over the bar.

Further changes for Spain:

Pedro Porro comes on for Óscar Mingueza, and Álex Baena replaces Nico Williams.

CHANCE!

Nelson Semedo scuffs his effort wide from inside the area after Mendes did well to get near the end line before cutting back across goal.

We're back in action in Munich for extra time.

NORMAL TIME CONCLUDES

Bonus football secured as Portugal and Spain head into extra time after a thrilling 2-2 draw across 90 minutes.

Spain's Nations League win in 2023 also needed extra time to be secured when they finally dispatched Croatia. Will they find a similar result or will Portugal ride the wave from Ronaldo's goal?

CHANCE!!

Fernandes whips in a belting free kick but a strong hand from Simón punches it off a Portuguese body and out for a goal kick.

Portugal have a massive chance to find a winner as stoppage time begins. Leão was brought down just outside of the area by Robin Le Normand...

Ronaldo receives a standing ovation as he's replaced by Gonçalo Ramos in the 88th minute.

CHANCE!

Isco is denied a potential match-winner after his bending effort, destined for the top corner, was brilliantly turned away by Costa.

Play halted with Diogo Costa down on the pitch.

CHANCE!

Yamal could only see his effort fly straight at Costa, with the Barça boy having a quieter period since the break. There's still time for him to have the final say in a key moment, though.

Portugal substitutes:

Renato Veiga and Rafael Leão replace Gonçalo Inácio and Bernardo Silva.

Spain substitutes:

Mikel Merino and Isco come on to replace Fabián Ruiz and Pedri.

Portugal are beginning to turn the screw as we enter the final 20 minutes of action.

Changes are queueing up on the touchline.

Drink it in. An era-defining footballer.

GOAL!!

And it had to be Ronaldo, didn't it?!? The legendary figure outmuscled Marc Cucurella at the back post to volley home from close range.

It's number 138 for the iconic forward, who just cannot stop finding the back of the net despite his age.

CHANCE!

Fabián Ruiz tests Diogo Costa with a low drive from outside the area, but the Porto shot-stopper does well to comfortably parry it away.

OFFSIDE!

Bruno Fernandes thought he pulled Portugal back on level terms for the second time tonight but Pedro Neto sitting just offside in the build-up pulled the goal back.

We're back underway at Allianz Arena for the second half.

HALF-TIME

An enthralling opening 45 minutes of action in Munich has Spain 2-1 up going into the half-time interval.

Plenty left to play for and, surely, at least another goal in this tonight.

GOAL!!

It's 2-1 Spain!

Mikel Oyarzabal slots home just before the break after Spain cut Portugal open on the break, with Pedri slipping the Real Sociedad man into enough space to give La Roja the lead once again.

It's been the broader tactical battle that most fans would have anticipated.

Portugal have done well to snuff Spain out on most occasions while working hard off the ball in their press before looking to counter, while La Roja dominates possession in a bid to control the tempo to pick their opponent apart.

Can either nation find a second before the halftime interval?

GOAL!!

Portugal did not wait long to restore parity as Nuno Mendes hit a rifled effort into the far corner to bank his first-ever international goal.

He's been sublime for club and country across the entirety of the 2024/25 campaign.

GOAL!!

It's Martín Zubimendi who opens the scoring on the night with a close-range finish after Spain broke through central spaces, with the Real Sociedad star converting from less than six yards from Ruben Dias' poor clearance.

CHANCE!

Now it's Nico Williams with a chance from range but his curling effort bends just over the crossbar as the Athletic Club winger looked to ping it into the far corner.

Spain is starting to find the seams in Portugal's third of the pitch. Is a goal forthcoming?

CHANCE!

Oh, Pedri! The key midfielder could only hash his effort from distance wide of the mark when you would bet the house he would have at least otherwise hit the target.

The Barcelona starlet can only balloon his dead-ball effort clear over the bar.

Yamal does well to earn a free-kick just outside the area after losing the ball, only to regain possession, and then dance his way looking for his trademark left-foot finish.

No. Portugal clears but Spain retains possession as they cycle in midfield looking for an opening.

Corner for Spain after their first real decent opportunity to get into the box. Can they make something of it...?

Roberto Martínez is winning the early tactical battle against Luis de la Fuente, with Portugal's press causing headache after headache while scuppering Spain's desire to play out of the back.

CHANCE!

Portugal nearly strikes first blood inside five minutes after João Neves' hit on the half-volley sails wide of Unai Simón's far post.

KICK OFF!

And we're underway!

Will it be Ronaldo standing the test of time again or will Yamal dominate on the big stage?

The teams walk out for the national anthems as we're just minutes away from kick-off at Allianz Arena.

With one Nations League title each, the winner of tonight's final will pull ahead in the medal count.

Spain unquestionably will want to make it two on the spin as the holders, while Portugal aims to add to their total after winning the inaugural competition in 2019.

A pre-match refresher on the XIs this evening in Munich

FULL TIME! Germany 0-2 France

It's all over in Stuttgart and Deschamps' men take third spot in the Nations League after humbling its hosts.

Just the six minutes' added time in Stuttgart and it feels like France could build their lead even more based on the current balance of play.

GOAL! Germany 0-2 France

Far too easy for France as their pressure tells with Mbappé latching onto a defensive mix-up before teeing up Olise for a simple finish

CHANCE!

Doué plays a brilliant ball to the edge of the box for Mbappé to meet first-time on the volley, only to be denied by a superb stop from Ter Stegen

CHANCE!

Doué lets fly with an effort into the bottom righthand corner but it's well held by Ter Stegen

CHANCE!

A really good France breakaway sees Thuram sidefoot an effort inside the area but Ter Stegen is able to palm it away down to his left

Things are getting a little lively out there as both sets of players come to blows with Tah and Hernández both booked. Who said the Nations League doesn't matter?

CHANCE!

Thuram goes close for France again but hits the outside of the post

NO GOAL!

Germany denied by VAR for a second time in this match

The referee's now going to the monitor to assess Füllkrug's challenge. It looks like this one might not stand.

VAR is going to have the final say on this one due to claims of a foul on Rabiot in the build-up

GOAL! Germany 1-1 France

The hosts finally have a leveller courtesy of Undav's swept finish after Rabiot was dispossessed

CHANCE!

Mbappé has a great opening to double Les Bleus' lead but flashes it wide of Ter Stegen's righthand post

SECOND HALF!

We're back to it in Stuttgart. Will we see more goals in the next 45 minutes?

HALF TIME! Germany 0-1 France

Didier Deschamps' side head in at the break with the upper hand. They've had to weather the storm until Mbappé broke the deadlock as Germany were unrelenting

GOAL! Germany 0-1 France

Completely against the run of play, Les Bleus have the lead! Mbappé cuts inside and fires a tidy finish into Ter Stegen's net

CHANCE!

Maignan really keeping France in this as he denies Woltemade

CHANCE!

Wirtz rolls a shot inside the box after being teed up but it comes back off Maignan's righthand post

NO PENALTY!

The referee returns from the monitor and decides the contact wasn't sufficient enough. Adeyemi is also going to be booked for his troubles

VAR has been scrutinising the foul at length and now the referee is going over to the monitor.

PENALTY!

The hosts have a chance to open the scoring from the spot after Adeyemi is sent sprawling by Maignan

CHANCE!

Adeyemi tries to test Maignan from just inside the box but it's comfortable enough for the France stopper

CHANCE!

Ter Stegen called into action again, this time from Badé's header at the resulting corner

CHANCE!

Finally a response from France through Cherki's shot through the legs of Raum but Ter Stegen is able to parry it

OFF THE LINE!

It's all Germany in the opening stages as Füllkrug latches onto Adeyemi's pass and has the beating of Maignan but Digne is on hand to avert the danger

CHANCE!

Füllkrug plays Woltemade in but Maignan is able to deny him

KICK OFF!

We're underway in Stuttgart

Hello and welcome to our coverage of the Nations League finals. First up we've got a heavyweight clash between Germany and France in the third place play-off.