Portugal beat neighbours Spain in a penalty shootout to
settle a frantic final in Munich and win their second Nations League trophy.
Cristiano Ronaldo pulled Portugal level at 2-2 in the 61st
minute, but there was nothing else to separate the two sides when the referee
signalled the end of normal time.
Subbed off before extra time, Portugal captain Ronaldo
dropped to the turf and sobbed tears of joy on the sidelines after Ruben Neves
slotted home the winning penalty following Diogo Costa's save from Alvaro
Morata's spot-kick.
Winners of the 2023 edition, Spain had opened the scoring in
the 21st minute when Martin Zubimendi poked home after Portugal failed to clear
their lines.
Their lead was short-lived as Nuno Mendes slammed a low,
angled strike past Unai Simon and into the far corner of the net five minutes
later.
Mikel Oyarzabal, who netted a late winner in last summer's
European Championship final against England, restored La Roja's advantage
before the break.
But Ronaldo came to Portugal's rescue as he shrugged off
Marc Cucurella to reach Mendes' deflected cross and hook a volley in from close
range.
Goncalo Ramos, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes and Nuno Mendes all
calmly fired their penalties home before Morata's weak effort was stopped by
Costa.
And as Neves converted the final spot-kick, Portugal became
the first team to win two Nations League titles - denying Spain, who were vying
for the same honour.
Portugal win emotional for Ronaldo
The final was hyped as the first meeting between five-time
Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo and highly rated teenager Lamine Yamal - the
favourite to win this year's award for the world's best footballer.
But, when the whistle blew to end a quiet first half for
both players, it looked like other names would be stealing the headlines in
Munich.
Oyarzabal's clever flick split Portugal's midfield wide open
and kick-started Spain's attack for their opening goal, and the Real Sociedad
midfielder coolly rounded Dias before slotting home their second.
But Ronaldo, as he has done so often, showed up when it
mattered for Portugal - pouncing ruthlessly on a loose cross for his 138th
international goal.
The 40-year-old was unable to have the final say, however,
after he was replaced by Goncalo Ramos late in normal time.
Yamal, meanwhile, was subbed off in extra time without
having made a meaningful impact after being largely marked out of the game by
Portugal full-back Mendes.
After Spain came agonisingly close to an extra-time winner
with efforts from Pedro Porro and Cucurella, Ronaldo could barely watch the
shootout - hiding behind coaching staff as his team-mates stepped up to the
penalty spot.
Ronaldo, after an initial outpouring of emotion, wiped his
tears away and celebrated joyfully before lifting the trophy as confetti fell
around Allianz Arena.
