Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo breaks down in tears as Portugal beat Spain in penalties to clinch Nations League
Legendary Cristiano Ronaldo broke down in tears after Portugal defeated favourites Spain in the final of the Nations League. Portugal clinched their second Nations League title in a tense final at the Allianz Arena on Sunday, June 8, beating the Euro champions on penalties. After being held to a 2-2 draw at extra time, Portugal converted all 5 of their spot kicks to beat Spain 5-3 in the penalty shootout.advertisementRonaldo, who had scored to send the match into extra time, broke into tears after his team won the tournament, besting heavyweights Spain, who were billed to be the winners ahead of the summit clash. Ronaldo's goal in the final was the 138th of his international career. With the goal, he pulled himself further away from the competition as the highest scorer in international football, well ahead of the likes of Lionel Messi and Sunil Chhetri.Ronaldo is in tears after Portugal's Nations League victory pic.twitter.com/hpWPGEn7DS— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 8, 2025Ronaldo's goal came after Mikel Oyarzabal had given Spain a 2-1 halftime lead. Oyarzabal squeezed the ball past Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa in the 45th after Pedri played him in. Martin Zubimendi had broken the deadlock in the 21st with a tap-in when Portugal's defense failed to deal with Lamine Yamal's cross. Then Nuno Mendes levelled five minutes later when he drilled a low shot inside the far post.advertisement
The 40-year-old Ronaldo went off to a standing ovation and a hug from coach Roberto Martnez in the 88th.After the match remained undecided in extra time, both teams went into penalties. Spain's Alvaro Morata, who played with Ronaldo during their time in Real Madrid was the only one to miss in the shootout, meaning that Portugal were crowned champions on Sunday.
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Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Cristiano Ronaldo breaks down, cries like a baby after Portugal beat Spain on penalties to win UEFA Nations League
Portugal's long-time talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, was left in tears after the second won the UEFA Nations League for the second time. Portugal won the European champions Spain 5-3 penalties at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. The summit clash between Portugal and Spain ended at 2-2 after normal time and eventually, the clash progressed to the penalty shootout, where both teams had everything to play for. Portugal then converted all of their five spot kicks to get the better of Spain in a thrilling final. Ronaldo, who had registered the equalising goal for Portugal in the 61st minute, broke down as soon as the final spot kick was converted by his side. The 40-year-old, who was substituted in the 88th minute, fell to the ground as he cried tears of joy. He then immediately got up and hugged Portugal's head coach, Roberto Martinez. Ronaldo then went to the other members of the squad to give them a warm long hug and celebrate the victory in style. It must be mentioned that the crowd support in Munich was heavily directed towards Portugal, and it was all because of one man - Ronaldo. Also Read: Cristiano Ronaldo drops major retirement hint after Portugal win Nations League Before beating Spain, Portugal beat Germany in the semi-finals. No one gave Portugal a chance in both these matches against Germany and Spain. However, Ronaldo and co punched above their weight to win the Nations League for the second time. With this strike in the 61st minute, Ronaldo registered his 138th goal in international football, further extending his lead as the highest goal-scorer, well ahead of both Argentina's Lionel Messi and India's Sunil Chhetri. The UEFA Nations League final between Portugal and Spain was built up as the battle between Ronaldo and Lamine Yamal. However, Ronaldo proved why there is no substitute for experience. When it mattered the most, the veteran stood up for Portugal as he registered the equalising goal, bringing Portugal and Spain on level terms at 2-2. On the other hand, Lamine Yamal failed to leave an impression on the game as he did not get on the scoring sheet. Ronaldo was brought off the park in the 88th minute. He then enjoyed the action with the rest of the coaching contingent. After the game, Ronaldo revealed that he was playing with an injury. However, he added that wouldn't have missed the final even if it meant playing with a broken leg.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo breaks down in tears, falls to knees after Portugal beat Spain in Nations League final
Cristiano Ronaldo broke down in tears after securing his third international trophy (Image via X/@UEFAEuro & OptusSport) Football legend and Portugal icon Cristiano Ronaldo added a third international trophy to his cabinet as he led his side to the summit of the UEFA Nations League on Sunday at the Allianz Arena in Munich. Coming up against a Spain team that hadn't lost a single away game in their last 10 outings in the competition, the inaugural Nations League winners showed incredible resilience to force the game to extra-time and ultimately seal the win on penalties. As Portugal claimed victory from spot kicks, Ronaldo took center stage for his emotional reaction. The 40-year-old, overcome with passion, let the tears flow as he dropped to his knees the moment Ruben Neves' kick went in. Akin to his reaction in the 2016 UEFA Euro final against France, Ronaldo broke down in tears as he added another trophy to his long list of honours. The win meant that Portugal became the first team in the history of the Nations League to win the competition twice. — OptusSport (@OptusSport) Ronaldo's involvement in the game was not limited to that, as he scored the all-important equalizer to pull his team back into the game, halfway through the second half. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Walgreens Keeps Quiet About This '9 Pills for $7' Generic Cialis Deal Friday Plans Get Offer Undo Ronaldo's goal came in the 61st minute, when a deflected cross from goal scorer Nuno Mendes fell invitingly in front of the forward who had placed himself at the far post. Beating his marker with ease, the No 7's volley found its way into the back of the net. Poll Will Ronaldo win another international trophy? No, this was his last with Portugal Yes, he will win the 2026 World Cup Ronaldo was then taken off in the 88th minute owing to an injury and was replaced by PSG forward Goncalo Ramos. Ronaldo's teary-eyed reaction to winning the final has gone viral on social media, with fans pouring in messages of support and congratulations for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner. Cristiano Ronaldo's post on X after winning the UEFA Nations League over Spain (Image via X) Up next, the Portuguese talisman will look to earn his side qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Emotional Ronaldo says ‘nothing better' than winning trophies with Portugal after UEFA Nations League triumph
Portugal skipper Cristiano Ronaldo shed tears of joy as they won their second Nations League title on Sunday, insisting that winning trophies with his country beats all club honours. Ronaldo's 138th international goal in the second half took the final to penalties after a 2-2 draw with Spain, with the substituted 40-year-old forward looking on from the sidelines as Portugal netted all five spot kicks to claim the title. The triumph, which left the five-time Champions League winner in tears, was Ronaldo's third on the international stage, accompanying his 2016 European Championship and 2019 Nations League winners' medals. 'What a joy,' Ronaldo told Sport TV. 'First of all for this generation, which deserved a title of this magnitude, for our families. My children came here, my wife, my brother, my friends. ALSO READ | Portugal wins second Nations League title after shootout success over Spain 'Winning for Portugal is always special. I have many titles with clubs, but nothing is better than winning for Portugal. It's tears. It's duty done and a lot of joy. 'When you talk about Portugal it is always a special feeling. Being captain of this generation is a source of pride. Winning a title is always the pinnacle in a national team.' Ronaldo's future remains uncertain. He said last week he did not plan to play at the Club World Cup in the United States, which starts later this month, despite being courted by clubs taking part in the 32-team tournament. The Al-Nassr forward said he had several offers from other teams to play in the U.S., while his side's sporting director, Fernando Hierro said last month they were negotiating with Ronaldo over a contract extension but faced competition from clubs eager to sign the five-times Ballon d'Or winner. For now, however, he is only focused on celebrating his latest triumph, having played in the final with an injury. 'It's beautiful,' he added. 'It's for our nation. We are a small people, but with a very big ambition. 'The future is short term. Now is the time to rest well. I had the injury and that was the maximum, the maximum ... I pushed, because for the national team you have to push.'
