Portugal 2 Spain 2 (5-3 pens): Tearful Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, wins third international trophy as Morata misses penalty
PORTUGAL tasted Nations League glory for a second time with Cristiano Ronaldo playing a starring role – and Chelsea flop Alvaro Morata the villain.
After winning the inaugural 2019 edition, Roberto Martinez's men are champions once more in a thrilling finale in Munich, fighting back twice to draw level against reigning European champions Spain.
9
Portugal beat Spain 5-3 on penalties in the Nations League final
9
Cristiano Ronaldo broke down in tears after Ruben Neves scored the last spot-kick
9
Diogo Costa saved Alvaro Morata's penalty
And Spain's Morata missed his spot-kick for Ruben Neves to slot home the winner.
Both nations were vying to become the first to lift the Nations League twice.
A slow start was thrust into life by a
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Yamal at the heart of it, his delicious cross was made a mess of by a scrambling Portugal defence, allowing soon-to-be
Spain were 4-0 up after 55 minutes in their 5-4 semi thriller against
France
last week, but
It ended with Mendes firing low into the bottom corner in the 26th minute, but not before a VAR check that judged
Ronaldo
to have timed his run to perfection.
The final say of the first half was Spain's.
Most read in Football
9
Arsenal target Martin Zubimendi opened the scoring in the 21st minute
9
Nuno Mendes levelled the scores within five minutes
9
Mikel Oyarzabal made it 2-1 on the stroke of half-time
9
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hearts
in the
Euros
final in Berlin last
summer
producing another big goal in Munich.
Martinez responded by bringing on Neves and Nelson Semedo at the break, and it almost had an instant impact as
Bruno
Fernandes had a 49th minute strike ruled out for offside.
Cristiano Ronaldo's bodyguard Hichman Bukhari talks about the risks of protecting the football superstar
An equaliser was coming and
Ronaldo
reacted first to a deflected looped cross that bamboozled
He hobbled off with a muscular injury in the 88th minute, while Yamal was subbed in the 106th minute, as the game became niggly with a
VAR
red-check following a mass melee.
Goncalo Ramos,
Vitinha
, Bruno Fernandes and Nuno Mendes all slotted home their penalties before Neves became the hero.
9
Ronaldo equalised in the 61st minute - his 138rd international goal
9
Ronaldo limped off injured in the the 87th minute
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