Portugal's evergreen talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, was reduced to tears as his nation secured a dramatic victory over Spain to win the UEFA Nations League for the second time. The emotional scenes unfolded at the Allianz Arena in Munich, where Portugal triumphed 5–3 in a tense penalty shootout following a 2–2 draw in regular time.

The fiercely contested final saw both sides battle hard, with neither able to pull away in 90 minutes. As the game headed into penalties, Portugal held their nerve and converted all five of their spot-kicks, edging past the reigning European champions in a thrilling conclusion.

Ronaldo, who had earlier levelled the score for Portugal with a crucial strike in the 61st minute, broke down in tears the moment the final penalty was converted. The 40-year-old forward, who was substituted in the 88th minute, collapsed to the ground in visible emotion, overwhelmed with joy.

Moments later, Ronaldo rose to embrace Portugal’s head coach, Roberto Martínez, before making his way to his teammates to offer heartfelt hugs as the celebrations began in earnest.

It’s worth noting that the atmosphere in Munich heavily favoured the Portuguese side, largely due to the enduring popularity of Ronaldo, whose presence drew overwhelming support from the crowd.

Before their triumph over Spain, Portugal had shocked hosts Germany in the semi-finals. Widely considered underdogs in both fixtures, Ronaldo and his teammates defied expectations, delivering inspired performances to lift the trophy once again.

Ronaldo Extends International Scoring Record
Ronaldo’s goal in the final marked his 138th strike in international football, further extending his already unparalleled tally as the highest goal-scorer in men’s international football—comfortably ahead of Argentina’s Lionel Messi and India’s Sunil Chhetri.

The final had been billed as a symbolic passing-of-the-torch clash between the seasoned Ronaldo and Spain’s rising star, Lamine Yamal. Yet, when it mattered most, it was the veteran who rose to the occasion. Ronaldo’s equaliser pulled Portugal back into the contest, while Yamal failed to make a significant impact and ended the match without a goal.

After being withdrawn late in the game, Ronaldo joined the coaching staff on the touchline to witness the dramatic conclusion. Speaking after the match, he revealed that he had been carrying an injury but insisted there was never any chance he would miss the final.

“Even if I had to play with a broken leg, I wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” he said.