Portugal clinched their second UEFA Nations League title, triumphing over Spain in a dramatic final at the Allianz Arena in Munich. The match, which ended 2-2 after extra time, was ultimately decided by a penalty shootout, with Portugal winning 5-3. This victory marked Portugal's first win against Spain in a major international fixture in 21 years and made them the first nation to win the Nations League twice, having previously won the inaugural competition in 2019.

The final was an intense battle from the start. Spain took the lead in the 21st minute when Martin Zubimendi scored, capitalizing on a failure by Portugal to clear their lines. However, Portugal quickly responded just five minutes later, with Nuno Mendes firing a powerful low drive past Unai Simon. Spain regained the lead shortly before halftime through Mikel Oyarzabal, who found space in the box and calmly finished off a pass from Pedri, making it 2-1 at the break.

The second half saw Portugal fight back, epitomized by their captain, Cristiano Ronaldo. In the 61st minute, the 40-year-old legend latched onto a deflected cross from Mendes, shrugged off Marc Cucurella, and smashed home the equaliser, his 138th goal for his country. Ronaldo played with an existing injury, stating later, "I felt the injury since the warm-up... But for Portugal, if I had to break my leg, I would do it. It’s a title, I had to play and gave everything." He was substituted in the 88th minute due to the injury and watched the remainder of the game from the sidelines.

With no further goals in extra time, the final went to a penalty shootout. Portugal's penalty takers, Gonçalo Ramos, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, and Nuno Mendes, all converted their spot-kicks with composure. The crucial moment came when Spain's Alvaro Morata stepped up, and his weak effort was saved by Portugal's goalkeeper, Diogo Costa. Ruben Neves then coolly slotted home the winning penalty, sending the Portuguese team and fans into a frenzy. Cristiano Ronaldo was overcome with emotion, collapsing to the ground in tears of joy as his teammates celebrated their historic win.

Regarding his future, Ronaldo remarked, "You know how old I am already, obviously I’m closer to the end than I was at the beginning but I have to enjoy every moment. If I don’t get seriously injured, I’ll keep going." He also shared his thoughts on Lamine Yamal, acknowledging the 17-year-old's talent but cautioning against excessive pressure: "Lamine is going to win a lot of collective and individual titles. He’s a phenomenon... Please, leave him alone." Ronaldo also commented on the Ballon d’Or, suggesting players from the UEFA Champions League-winning team, Paris Saint-Germain, should be frontrunners and expressed that individual awards have lost their value.

In the bronze-medal match held in Stuttgart, France secured third place by defeating Germany 2-0. Kylian Mbappe was instrumental, scoring his 50th goal for France just before halftime and later providing an assist for Michael Olise to seal the victory. This was France's first Nations League bronze, adding to their gold from 2020/21, while Germany remains without silverware in the competition.

An interesting side-note from the finals weekend was the reception Marc Cucurella received. The Spanish fullback was booed by local German fans every time he touched the ball during both the semi-final against France and the final against Portugal. The jeers stemmed from a controversial handball incident during the Euro 2024 quarter-finals where Cucurella handled a shot from Jamal Musiala inside the penalty area. Referee Anthony Taylor waved away appeals, and Germany was subsequently eliminated. UEFA later reportedly admitted it was a mistake and a penalty should have been awarded.

Following their victory, Portugal will receive a full-size replica of the UEFA Nations League trophy, as the original remains in UEFA's keeping. According to UEFA rules, this replica cannot leave Portugal without prior written consent from UEFA and cannot be used in contexts granting third-party visibility. The winning team also receives 40 gold medals. Any country that wins the trophy three times in a row or five times in total receives special recognition.