Portugal weren’t tipped to go all the way, but they’ve already made headlines with their gutsy run to the final. Their semi-final against Germany at the Allianz Arena was a thriller—coming from behind to win 2-1 thanks to a spectacular goal from Francisco Conceição and a late winner from the ever-reliable Cristiano Ronaldo. It was Portugal’s first victory over Germany in 25 years.
The road to Munich hasn’t been easy. Portugal narrowly avoided an early exit in the quarter-finals, needing a last-minute goal from Francisco Trincão to force extra time against Denmark, eventually prevailing in the additional period.
Manager Roberto Martinez has been under pressure following a disappointing Euros, where Portugal crashed out in the quarter-finals against France. Winning the Nations League could restore faith among fans and provide valuable momentum heading into World Cup qualifiers this September, where they’ll face Hungary, Ireland, and Armenia.
One of the biggest talking points ahead of the final is the meeting between two players from opposite ends of the football spectrum—Cristiano Ronaldo and Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. At 17, Yamal wasn’t even two years old when Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or. Now, the young Spaniard is aiming for the same glory, and his two-goal performance in Spain’s 5-4 semi-final win over France has only heightened the hype.
Spain have been dominant in this year’s Nations League, and manager Luis de la Fuente has his side playing thrilling football. Inspired by the high-scoring style of La Liga champions Barcelona, La Roja have netted 23 goals in just nine Nations League games this season—including six across two legs against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.
Even though they almost squandered a four-goal lead against France, Spain have been consistent and unbeaten in competitive matches since their loss to Scotland in March 2023. They’re not only favorites to win Sunday’s final—they’re already being talked about as front-runners for the 2026 World Cup.
Their World Cup qualifying group—featuring Turkey, Georgia, and Bulgaria—doesn’t look particularly threatening, and if this team stays on track, comparisons to Spain’s legendary 2008–2012 squad may soon become even more justified.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Cristiano Ronaldo quieted his critics in style on Wednesday, scoring the winning goal in his 220th appearance for Portugal. There’s no doubt he’ll be leading the line again for Roberto Martinez in Sunday’s final.
Portugal’s semi-final lineup raised a few eyebrows, and Martinez had to make some big changes early in the second half. One of the more unexpected moves was starting João Neves at right-back—a decision that didn’t last long, as he was subbed off for his PSG teammate Vitinha.
Francisco Conceição came off the bench and made a huge impact, and that performance may have earned him a starting spot in the final. If he does start, it could mean Francisco Trincão or Pedro Neto drops to the bench. Meanwhile, Ruben Neves is unlikely to be in the starting XI again after being taken off before the hour mark.
On the Spanish side, there was no starting place for captain Álvaro Morata in their semi-final win over France. Instead, manager Luis de la Fuente used Mikel Oyarzabal as a false nine—a move that paid off, with Oyarzabal setting up two goals in the first half.
Fabian Ruiz might return to the starting lineup after beginning on the bench in Stuttgart, following his Champions League exploits last weekend. Rodri, however, hasn’t been risked yet as he recovers from an ACL injury.
While Spain impressed going forward, their backline showed signs of inexperience during France’s late surge. Pedro Porro and Dean Huijsen looked shaky under pressure, and Dani Vivian, who came off the bench, was unfortunate to score an own goal.
POSSIBLE LINEUPS
Portugal possible starting lineup:
Costa; Dalot, Dias, Inacio, Mendes; J. Neves, Vitinha, Bernardo; Conceicao, Ronaldo, Fernandes
Spain possible starting lineup:
Simon; Porro, Le Normand, Huijsen, Cucurella; Merino, Fabian, Pedri; Yamal, Oyarzabal, Williams
EXPERT PREDICTION
Portugal 2-3 Spain
