Yamal Sinks, Ronaldo Restores Portugal's Champion Throne

MUENCHEN, SUNDAY — The final duel began with the headline "Cristiano Ronaldo versus Lamine Yamal," but ended without the action of both stars from different generations. Yamal sank with Spain, while Ronaldo successfully lifted Portugal. Behind this, Portugal's wing-back Nuno Mendes emerged as the brightest figure.

Portugal emerged as the winner of the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League after defeating the defending champion Spain at the Muenchen Football Arena in Germany on Monday (9/6/2025) WIB. Ronaldo and his teammates triumphed in a penalty shootout 5-3 after the match ended in a draw at the end of 90 minutes of regular time and 2x15 minutes of extra time.

After the match ended, Ronaldo could only cry on the sidelines. He could not participate in the penalty shootout as he was substituted in the 88th minute. His age of 40 years was undeniable. The veteran was unable to continue the match after performing aggressively in both attack and defense for nearly 90 minutes.

Ronaldo's hard work, which serves as an example to his teammates, along with his contribution of one goal that equalized the score to 2-2, was enough to lead Portugal to victory. The struggle continued for the team coached by Roberto Martinez into extra time and then to a penalty shootout.

Ronaldo's influence, said Mendes, is immeasurable for the Portugal squad. "We are very happy for him, to be able to win another title. He helps us both on and off the field. He provides a lot of input. He also demonstrates the attitude and mentality of a winner to be a role model for the young players in the national team," Mendes stated.

Dewi Fortuna seemed to have favored Portugal before the penalty shootout. Portugal benefited from being on the side of their own supporters. Indeed, all five executors from Portugal carried out their duties perfectly. Portugal's goalkeeper Diogo Costa made the difference by thwarting the penalty taken by Spanish substitute striker Alvaro Morata.

Portugal has officially become the first team to win the Nations League twice. They reclaimed the championship title after previously winning the inaugural edition. "I am very proud. The final was important to win. We showed extraordinary character after Spain took the lead twice. We improved during the game and deserved to be champions," said Martinez, who has been coaching Portugal for just two and a half years.

Yamal, like Ronaldo, could only watch the penalty shootout from the sidelines. He was substituted in the second half of extra time. During his 106 minutes on the field, the strongest candidate for the Ballon d'Or was hardly noticeable. The only significant contribution from Yamal was during the opening goal scored by Martin Zubimendi. His cross led to the scramble that resulted in the goal.

Yamal has lost his best touch. The 17-year-old was unable to weave through the wings as he usually does. He was overwhelmed by the defensive guard of the opposing wingback, Mendes. Mendes once again proved himself to be a conqueror of world-class wingers. Previously, in the Champions League, the Paris Saint-Germain player rendered Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) and Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) ineffective.

"It was a duel like many others throughout this season," Mendes said about facing Yamal. "I have faced many players with high technical skills who can make a difference. I was able to handle Yamal today. It's all about consistency. I work hard both at the club and with the national team," he continued, having been selected as the best player of the match according to UEFA.

Mendes deserves that award. In addition to his contributions in defense, he played a crucial role in two goals during regular time and the successful execution of a penalty. Mendes was the first goal scorer for Portugal. He created space on the right side of the opponent's penalty area with his speed and then executed the shot himself.

The second goal scored by Ronaldo also originated from Mendes' inspiration. The 22-year-old defender passed Yamal and then delivered a cross. The pass slightly changed direction after hitting the Spanish defense line, but it still headed directly into Ronaldo's reach. Mendes successfully became Yamal's nightmare on both sides of the field.

Spain, the champion of the 2024 European Championship and the previous edition of the Nations League, lost due to problems that have not been resolved since the early knockout phase. They consistently conceded goals after taking the lead, starting from their match against the Netherlands (quarter-finals), France (semi-finals), and up to the final match earlier.

The team coached by Luis de la Fuente started the match confidently. They took the lead through Zubimendi in the 21st minute. However, that advantage lasted only five minutes. Just before halftime, striker Mikel Oyarzabal restored the lead, but it became irrelevant after Ronaldo's equalizing goal.

Fuente stated that Portugal deserved to be champions. "The Portuguese players said we were the best team they faced. However, we also faced an outstanding Portuguese team. If we hadn't conceded the second goal, it might have been different. In the end, it’s all about winning. They performed excellently tonight," he said.

The character of Portugal, which is slow to warm up like a diesel engine, has once again been evident. They faced difficulties in the first half due to a significant gap on the right side of their defense. Midfielder Joao Neves was again deployed as a right wing-back, a position that is not his original role. This gap was exploited by Spain through winger Nico Williams.

Martinez reacted immediately after the substitution. Wing-back Nelson Semedo came on to replace Neves. Winger Francisco Conceicao was also substituted for midfielder Ruben Neves. Portugal sought to increase their midfield presence to counter Spain's dominance in the center. The changes proved to be fruitful. (AP/REUTERS)