Cristiano Ronaldo and Lamine Yamal treated soccer fans to one of the most captivating matches of the 2024–25 season, as Portugal edged Spain in the UEFA Nations League final. The clash at Allianz Arena was especially meaningful for Ronaldo, who snapped a streak that Yamal had carried into the final.
With Spain leading 2–1, Ronaldo netted the equalizer in the 61st minute, and from there, neither side could find the breakthrough. Both stars were eventually subbed off—Ronaldo due to injury, Yamal due to fatigue—before the game was decided by a penalty shootout, which Portugal won. For Yamal, it marked a first in his young career: a loss in a final as a starter.
Portugal’s win handed Yamal his first defeat in a final when starting. The 17-year-old phenom had entered every previous final in his brief career with a perfect record as a starter. However, against Nuno Mendes and Portugal, he struggled to make an impact and saw that streak come to an end.
Yamal’s first taste of a final came in the 2024 Spanish Super Cup, when Barcelona fell 4–1 to Real Madrid—though he entered as a substitute in the 61st minute. His first start in a final came at Euro 2024, when Spain defeated England 2–1 to give Yamal his first international title.
The young forward has also starred in two finals with Barcelona. In the 2025 Spanish Super Cup, he scored in a 5–2 win over Real Madrid. In the Copa del Rey final, he helped secure a 3–2 victory, once again over their bitter rivals, adding another trophy to his growing resume.
It wasn’t until crossing paths with Cristiano Ronaldo that Yamal’s unbeaten finals streak came to an end. At just 17, the rising star is likely to play in many more high-stakes matches—but this time, he met a living legend who reminded him that the path to greatness comes with setbacks.
Ronaldo finally scores in an international final—Yamal still waiting
Finals are often tight, tactical affairs where scoring opportunities are scarce. That’s been true for even the sport’s biggest stars. But in the 2025 Nations League final, Ronaldo finally broke through, while Yamal’s wait for a goal on the biggest stage continues.
Despite winning Euro 2016 and the 2019 Nations League, Ronaldo had never scored in an international final until now. The 40-year-old ended that drought with his equalizer against Spain. Meanwhile, Yamal—who provided an assist in Spain’s Euro 2024 final win over England—has now gone two international finals without finding the back of the net.