Cristiano Ronaldo-captained Portugal side made history Sunday night, becoming the first two-time winner of the UEFA Nations League, launched in 2018.
It was Portugal’s third major title, along with Euro 2016.
A tense night culminated in an extra night after the centre refresh ended the match at 90 minutes. It was a 2-2 draw before extra time. And after 120 minutes, no team scored again.
Ruben Neves scored the decisive spot kick after Alvaro Morata missed as Portugal beat Spain 5-3 on penalties.
Portugal twice went behind in regulation time but twice fought back to level the scores.
Martin Zubimendi took advantage of some sleepy Portugal defence to put Spain in front after 21 minutes.
The brilliant Nuno Mendes levelled things up five minutes later.
Mikel Oyarzabal, Spain’s goalscorer in the Euro 2024 final and the 2023 Nations League final, put La Roja back in front just before the break.
Cristiano Ronaldo, quiet as he had been before scoring the winner against Germany in the semis, equalised with 61 minutes gone, adjusting quickly after a Mendes cross was deflected into the air, muscling past Marc Cucurella and volleying the dropping ball home.
Ronaldo was subbed off before full-time with cramp. Even though Portugal had the better of extra time, the match went to penalties.
Both sides converted their first three spot kicks. Mendes buried Portugal’s fourth, before Morata stepped up and shot straight at Diogo Costa.
Neves nervelessly converted in front of the red and green of the Portugal fans. The victory was just Portugal’s second competitive win over Iberian rival Spain in their long history.
According to AFP, Portugal’s only other win over Spain in a competitive fixture was a 1-0 victory which booted the Spaniards out of Euro 2004, with a 19-year-old Ronaldo on the left wing.
The victory has rekindled the GOAT debate between supporters of Ronaldo and his archrival, Lionel Messi.
Most of the comments on X are centred on who is the real GOAT, especially with Ronaldo’s number of career goals, which is now 938.
“Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored 938 career goals. Absolute machine,” tweeted football transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano.
@itsShola: “Ronaldo remains the greatest player to ever touch a ball. World Cup next!!!”
Tweeting with goat emoji, Al Nasir wrote: “Scored the equaliser, And led his nation to another Championship. Many congratulations to AlNassr Captain, Cristiano Ronaldo.”