Spain's defeat against Portugal in the UEFA Nations League final is still making headlines. The Spanish team lost in the penalty shootout after a very intense match (2-2). On the field, there was a clash of styles. The experience of the Portuguese, with a 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, and the youth of Lamine Yamal, who is 17 years old (could be his son).
The players from La Roja suffered from fatigue after the entire season and also from a lack of experience, and they lost. They will have more chances for success in upcoming official competitions, European Championships and World Cups. Such a young team will have other opportunities to lift trophies.
Spain's defeat is irrelevant for Catalans. What is not irrelevant and is bothersome are the criticisms from the Spanish media toward an FC Barcelona player. Edu Aguirre, Guti, and Juanma Rodríguez have lashed out at Lamine Yamal, simply because he wore a cap during the post-match press conference.
criticism of this attire
The journalists from El Chiringuito considered it inappropriate and criticized this decision. They believe it is a lack of respect toward the national team and that Lamine Yamal shouldn't cover his head with a cap. They think that in his private life he can do whatever he wants, but not when he wears the Barça or Spain national team jersey.
Guti is clear about it. Juanma Castaño has crossed all boundaries and appeared on set wearing a black cap, backwards, very similar to the one worn by the best player in the world.
spain - portugal, a heart-stopping match
The 2025 UEFA Nations League final, played between Spain and Portugal at the Allianz Arena in Munich on June 8, was one of those matches that will remain etched in the collective memory of European soccer for its excitement, the tension experienced on the field, and also for several off-field controversies that colored the day.
The match began with Spain showing their best version and taking the lead thanks to a goal from Martín Zubimendi, who took advantage of a defensive error by Portugal to beat Diogo Costa in the 21st minute of play. However, the Portuguese response was immediate, and just five minutes later, Nuno Mendes equalized with a powerful shot from outside the box that surprised Unai Simón.
Before halftime, Spain took the lead again through Mikel Oyarzabal, who finished off a team move in the Portuguese box, restoring the advantage for Luis de la Fuente's side and allowing the national team to go into the locker room ahead.
The second half kept the same frenetic pace, with chances for both teams, but it was Portugal who managed to find the reward of a goal. Cristiano Ronaldo, always present at key moments, appeared in the 61st minute to equalize the match again with a subtle touch inside the box, thus scoring his 138th international goal. The tie persisted both in the remaining minutes of regulation time and in extra time, despite both teams' efforts to avoid the penalty shootout.
The penalty shootout ultimately favored Portugal. Diogo Costa became the hero after saving Morata's penalty, and Rúben Neves scored the decisive one, closing the shootout with a 5-3 that gave the Portuguese their second Nations League title, after the one they won in 2019.
The Portuguese celebration was overshadowed by a tragedy: during the first half of extra time, a fan fell from the second tier of the stadium to the press area and died shortly after in the Allianz Arena itself. This incident shocked both the players and the coaches, who expressed their grief in the press conference.