2025 UEFA Nations League final
Match programme cover | |||||||
| Event | 2025 UEFA Nations League Finals | ||||||
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| After extra time Portugal won 5–3 on penalties | |||||||
| Date | 8 June 2025 | ||||||
| Venue | Allianz Arena, Munich | ||||||
| Man of the Match | Nuno Mendes (Portugal)[1] | ||||||
| Referee | Sandro Schärer (Switzerland)[2] | ||||||
| Attendance | 65,852[3] | ||||||
| Weather | Partly cloudy night 15 °C (59 °F) 63% humidity[4] | ||||||
The 2025 UEFA Nations League final was a football match that determined the winners of the final tournament of the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League. It was the fourth final of the international football competition involving the men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA. The match was held on 8 June 2025 at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, between Portugal and defending champions Spain.[5] It was the first Iberian final and first final contested between two former winners of the competition.[6]
Portugal won the match 5–3 on penalties, following a 2–2 draw after extra time, for their second UEFA Nations League title. In doing so, they became the first team to win multiple Nations League titles.[7]
This was the final match and trophy for Portuguese player Diogo Jota, who died in a car accident nearly a month later, on 3 July 2025.
Background
This match was the first UEFA Nations League final featuring two past finalists, with Portugal winning the inaugural final in 2019 over the Netherlands and Spain playing in the two finals afterwards; they lost their first in 2021 against France before winning over Croatia on penalties two years later.[8]
This was the 41st Iberian Derby, with Spain winning 17, drawing 17, and Portugal winning six.[9]
Previous finals
| Team | Previous final appearances |
|---|---|
| Portugal | 1 (2019) |
| Spain | 2 (2021, 2023) |
Venue
The Allianz Arena was chosen by the German Football Association as one of the two venues for the Nations League Finals, along with the MHPArena. The stadium, which opened in 2005, is the home stadium of Bayern Munich, and hosted matches at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2020 and UEFA Euro 2024. The stadium had just hosted the Champions League final eight days before this match, in which four Portuguese players—Gonçalo Ramos, João Neves, Vitinha, and Nuno Mendes—and one Spanish player (Fabián Ruiz) won the Champions League title with Paris Saint-Germain.[10]
Route to the final
Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away; N: neutral).
| Portugal | Round | Spain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Result | League phase | Opponent | Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Croatia | 2–1 (H) | Matchday 1 | Serbia | 0–0 (A) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scotland | 2–1 (H) | Matchday 2 | Switzerland | 4–1 (A) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Poland | 3–1 (A) | Matchday 3 | Denmark | 1–0 (H) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scotland | 0–0 (A) | Matchday 4 | Serbia | 3–0 (H) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Poland | 5–1 (H) | Matchday 5 | Denmark | 2–1 (A) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Croatia | 1–1 (A) | Matchday 6 | Switzerland | 3–2 (H) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Group A1 winners | Final standings | Group A4 winners
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| Opponent | Agg. | 1st leg | 2nd leg | Knockout stage | Opponent | Agg. | 1st leg | 2nd leg | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Denmark | 5–3 | 0–1 (A) | 5–2 (a.e.t.) (H) | Quarter-finals | Netherlands | 5–5 (5–4 p) | 2–2 (A) | 3–3 (a.e.t.) (H) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Germany | 2–1 (N) | Semi-finals | France | 5–4 (N) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Match
Summary
In the 21st minute Spain went in front when Martín Zubimendi slotted into an empty net from close range after Lamine Yamal's ball into the box from the right caused confusion in the Portuguese defence. It was 1–1 in the 26th minute when Nuno Mendes scored with a low finish to the right corner from the left of the penalty area. Just before half-time, Mikel Oyarzabal finished low to the left corner after a pass from Pedri to put Spain back in front.[11] Cristiano Ronaldo equalised in the 61st minute with a right foot volley finish after a deflected cross from Nuno Mendes from the left fell to him from close range. The match went to extra-time and finished 2–2 with the game going to a penalty shoot-out. All penalties were scored until Álvaro Morata saw his effort to the left saved by Diogo Costa. Rúben Neves then scored low to the left corner to win the game for Portugal 5–3 on penalties.[12]
Details
Portugal[4]
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Spain[4]
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[4]
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Match rules[14]
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Statistics
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Post-match
Portugal's win marked their 2nd nations league title and 3rd major title meaning they became the first nation to win multiple nations league titles.[16] The win also gave manager Roberto Martinez his first trophy in charge of Portugal. Spain's loss marked their first defeat in a final since the 2021 UEFA Nations League final and their second defeat in a final in their history. The match was also Luis de la Fuente's 2nd defeat as manager of Spain.
The match would turn out to be the final match and trophy of Portugal forward Diogo Jota's career as he was killed in a car crash a month after the final.[17]
Death of spectator
During the first half of extra time, a spectator died after falling from the second tier of the main stand of the Allianz Arena. The man fell onto the seating area below, and was attended to by paramedics and stadium personnel. However, the man succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 00:06 local time on 9 June. The match was not interrupted during the incident. Players and coaches from both teams offered condolences during the post-match press conferences.[18][19]
Notes
- ^ Stéphane de Almeida (Switzerland) was originally appointed as an assistant referee for the match, but was removed due to his Portuguese ancestry and replaced by Susann Küng.[13]
References
- ^ a b "Every Player of the Match at the UEFA Nations League Finals". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 8 June 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "Referee teams for 2025 UEFA club competition finals announced". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 12 May 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Full Time Report Final – Portugal v Spain" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 8 June 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Tactical Line-ups – Final – Portugal v Spain" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 8 June 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "2024/25 UEFA Nations League finals line-up complete: All you need to know". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 23 March 2025. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
- ^ "Spain set-up first-ever Iberian Final". Yahoo Sports. 6 June 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
- ^ Pettit, Mark (8 June 2025). "Portugal vs Spain report: Seleção create history with shoot-out success". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "UEFA Nations League roll of honour". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
- ^ "Portugal national football team: record v Spain". 11v11.com. Association of Football Statisticians. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
- ^ "Paris win Champions League: Doué double helps secure record-breaking final win against Inter". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 31 May 2025. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
- ^ "Portugal 2 Spain 2 (5-3 after penalties)". BBC Sport. 8 June 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ "Portugal sink Spain in penalty shootout to win Nations League crown". Guardian. 8 June 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- ^ Espina, José A. (8 June 2025). "La UEFA debe cambiar a un asistente por 'portugués'" [UEFA must change an assistant due to 'Portuguese']. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "Regulations of the UEFA Nations League, 2024/25". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 11 December 2023. Archived from the original on 8 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Team statistics – Final – Portugal v Spain" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 8 June 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ Pettit, Mark (8 June 2025). "Portugal vs Spain report: Seleção create history with shoot-out success". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ Hunter, Andy; Burgen, Stephen (3 July 2025). "Diogo Jota, Liverpool and Portugal footballer, dies aged 28 in car crash". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
- ^ Casselberry, Ian (8 June 2025). "Fan dies after fall from second tier during Portugal's Nations League final win over Spain, UEFA confirms". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ Ogden, Mark (8 June 2025). "Nations League final marred by death of spectator after fall". ESPN. Retrieved 9 June 2025.