Spain and Portugal meet in Munich on Sunday night, with both teams aiming to become the first two-time champions of the UEFA Nations League. Given the drama witnessed in the semi-finals, this final is expected to be a thrilling encounter, as both sides reached this stage in spectacular fashion during the week.
Portugal were the first to secure their spot in the final, doing so with an impressive performance against hosts Germany. Despite Florian Wirtz giving Die Mannschaft an early lead in the first half, Roberto Martinez`s side roared back remarkably. A rapid double from Francisco Conceicao and Cristiano Ronaldo propelled them into their first final since they won the inaugural competition in 2019.
The excitement from Munich on Wednesday was soon overshadowed by events in the match between Spain and France. The European champions surged into a four-goal lead, with Lamine Yamal displaying particularly inspired form. They appeared to have extinguished any hopes of a comeback when the young Barcelona star responded to Kylian Mbappe`s penalty with one of his own. However, a dramatic late surge, spearheaded by Rayan Cherki`s brilliant debut goal, saw France exit swinging in a 5-4 defeat.
For Spain, a victory would reaffirm their status as Europe`s leading team, defending the title they won two years ago in the Netherlands. Still, Portugal would undoubtedly relish the opportunity to play spoiler against their close neighbors. Here’s a look ahead to the match:
Match Information
- Date: Sunday, June 8 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Allianz Arena — Munich
- TV: FS1 | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
- Odds: Portugal +270; Draw +260; Spain -110
Recent Meetings
The Iberian derby has produced considerable drama in recent years, most notably the memorable 3-3 draw in the 2018 World Cup and Spain`s tense, tight 1-0 victory eight years prior during their successful World Cup campaign. More recently, these two nations faced each other in the Nations League group stage, where Alvaro Morata played a significant role. In the home fixture, his early goal was canceled out by Ricardo Horta, but there was no late comeback for Portugal when they met in Braga. On that occasion, the Galatasaray striker scored in the 88th minute to secure La Furia Roja`s first competitive win on Portuguese soil in 88 years.
Best Bets
Lamine Yamal to score and Spain to win (+320): Yamal was in irresistible form against France, registering five shots and six touches in the penalty area. Nuno Mendes is a strong one-on-one defender, but he might face his toughest challenge yet, especially as Yamal consistently delivers in the biggest matches.
Predicted Lineups
Portugal Starting XI: Diogo Costa; Joao Neves, Ruben Dias, Goncalo Inacio, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes; Francisco Conceicao, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pedro Neto
Spain Starting XI: Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Robin Le Normand, Dean Huijsen, Marc Cucurella; Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal, Nico Williams
Player to Watch
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal: Who else could it be? The record goalscorer in men`s international football continues to find the net, and even without his goal against Germany, his performance was notably impressive. Portugal`s tactics often aim to create shooting opportunities for Ronaldo, and he readily takes them, having registered seven shots in the semi-final match.
Prediction
This final might not replicate the sheer drama of the semi-finals, but both teams have proven capable of scoring and conceding plenty of goals. The outcome is unpredictable, but Spain`s overall consistency slightly favors them.
PICK: Portugal 1, Spain 3
Dominic Ashworth