Spain will try to defend their NL title as they take on inaugural winners Portugal

8 June 2025 - 9:11 am
Spain will try to defend their NL title as they take on inaugural winners Portugal

Spain will try to defend their UEFA Nations League crown as they take on nearby rivals and inaugural winners of the competition, Portugal.

Portugal preview: Bidding for second title

Portugal went into their semi-final tie with Germany as slight underdogs but, despite going a goal down to the hosts, fought back for a 2-1 victory in Munich with all-time great Cristiano Ronaldo grabbing the winning goal.

Like their opponents in the final, Roberto Martinez’ side are aiming to become the first nation to win the UEFA Nations League twice after they were victorious in the inaugural staging of the event in 2018-19.

Spain preview: Stunning semi-final win

Reigning UEFA Nations League champions Spain won a dramatic semi-final with France on Thursday, triumphing 5-4 in a contest that will likely be remembered for many years to come.

Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal scored twice in a high-octane match which saw France almost come back from 5-1 down.

Spain preview: Stunning semi-final win

Reigning UEFA Nations League champions Spain won a dramatic semi-final with France on Thursday, triumphing 5-4 in a contest that will likely be remembered for many years to come.

Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal scored twice in a high-octane match which saw France almost come back from 5-1 down.

Portugal team news

Predicted XI (4-3-3): Diogo Costa; Nélson Semedo, Rúben Dias, Gonçalo Inácio, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, João Neves; Bernardo Silva, Ronaldo, Pedro Neto.

Spain team news

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Unai Simón; Pedro Porro, Le Normand, Huijsen, Cucurella; Pedri, Zubimendi: Yamal, Merino, Williams; Oyarzabal

Key stats

  • 2019 champions Portugal and 2023 winners Spain are aiming to become the first team to win the UEFA Nations League twice.
  • The last meetings between these teams were in the league phase of the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League when a 1-1 draw in Seville was followed by a 1-0 victory for the Spanish in Braga.
  • Their last seven encounters have produced five draws with a win for each team.
  • This is Portugal’s second appearance in the UEFA Nations League final. They won the inaugural edition 1-0 against the Netherlands with a goal from Gonçalo Guedes.
  • Portugal have lost only one of their previous nine UEFA Nations League matches in the current edition (W6 D2).
  • Excluding penalty shoot-outs, Portugal have lost only four of their last 29 international matches (W21 D4).
  • Cristiano Ronaldo is set to be the first player over the age of 40 to play in the final of the UEFA Nations League. The oldest player to feature previously is Luka Modrić (37y 282d vs Spain in 2023).
  • Cristiano Ronaldo is the third top scorer in UEFA Nations League history with 14 goals, behind Erling Haaland (19) and Aleksandar Mitrović (15).
  • Cristiano Ronaldo has scored seven goals in eight UEFA Nations League appearances in the current edition.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo’s only previous international goals against Spain were in the group stage at the 2018 World Cup when he scored a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw.
  • Bernado Silva has made the second most appearances in the history of the UEFA Nations League (25) – he can move level with the leader Gianluigi Donnarumma (26) if he features here.
  • This is Spain’s third successive appearance in the UEFA Nations League final. They lost 1-2 against France in 2021 and defeated Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in 2023.
  • Spain are unbeaten in their last 12 UEFA Nations League matches (W8 D4).
  • Spain are unbeaten in their last 19 international matches (W15 D4).
  • Spain are unbeaten in their last ten UEFA Nations League matches outside of Spain (W6 D4)
  • Of the current Spain squad, Gavi, Yeremy Pino, Mikel Merino and Unai Simón all made an appearance for the team in the final of the last two editions of the UEFA Nations League (2021 and 2023).