Nations League Final: Portugal Faces Defending Champions Spain

The highly anticipated final of the UEFA Nations League kicked off this evening (Sunday, 22:00) at the Allianz Arena in Munich, with Portugal taking on titleholders Spain for the coveted trophy. The winner will celebrate a second championship in this tournament’s history.

Lineups for the Final

Portugal Starting XI:
Diogo Costa, João Neves, Rúben Dias, Gonçalo Inácio, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Pedro Neto, Francisco Conceição, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Spain Starting XI:
Unai Simon, Oscar Mingueza, Rubén Hernández, Dean House, Marc Cucurella, Martin Zubimendi, Pedri, Fabian Ruiz, Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Mikel Oyarzabal.

Path to the Final

Spain enters the final as the defending champions after a thrilling semi-final against France, in which they established a commanding lead of 5-1 by the 67th minute. However, France mounted a late comeback, narrowing the score to 5-4, but ultimately fell short of forcing extra time. Spain aims to add another trophy to their collection and solidify their legacy with a consecutive win in the tournament.

Conversely, Portugal, under the guidance of Roberto Martinez, showcased resilience in their semi-final against Germany, completing a turnaround in just five minutes with goals from Francisco Conceição and Cristiano Ronaldo, leading to a 2-1 victory. The Portuguese squad arrives at the final with lofty ambitions, striving for another title following their triumph in the inaugural tournament in 2019.

Historical Context

The last encounter between these two teams took place in the Nations League in September 2022, where Spain emerged victorious thanks to a late goal from Álvaro Morata, after controlling much of the match and creating numerous scoring opportunities.

As the final unfolds, the question remains: Will Spain continue the celebration of their Euro victory with another title, or will Cristiano Ronaldo lift the trophy once more for Portugal?