Why Spain Should Regret Their Defeat to Portugal in the Nations League Final

While the headlines may herald a 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo clinching yet another trophy, the reality is that during the Nations League final on Sunday night, the Portuguese captain’s contributions left much to be desired in terms of excitement for fans.

His instinct to equalise demonstrated he hasn’t entirely lost his scoring prowess, a skill that’s defined his lengthy career. However, this was his only shot on target and effectively his sole touch in the Spanish box during the 88 minutes he was on the field before being substituted for Goncalo Ramos.

Throughout the match, Ronaldo recorded merely 22 touches, and his pass accuracy of 75% ranked as the lowest for any player on the pitch.

Conversely, despite being on the losing side, the focus should have shifted to Pedri and his significant impact on the Spanish team.

Pedri Shone Once Again

The Barcelona star excelled in this high-stakes match, contrasting notably with club teammate Lamine Yamal. His flawless record of 52 passes from 52 attempts exemplified his superiority on the ball.

In fact, La Roja had three players exceeding 100 passes: Marc Cucurella (106), Dean Huijsen (123), and Martin Zubimendi (118).

Meanwhile, Vitinha was a standout for Portugal, boasting 88 touches, 81 of which were passes, culminating in an impressive 93.8% completion rate. He also made 14 touches in the final third, just two short of teammate Nuno Mendes, who effectively kept Lamine contained throughout the match.

Lamine Yamal Falls Short

Expectations were high for the 17-year-old prodigy, yet he failed to deliver memorable moments for fans. His attacking threat was almost nonexistent, with only one chance created, and Mendes managed to stifle his attempts to break through.

It was a textbook demonstration in thwarting a nimble winger, resulting in Spain’s offense being forced to develop from the other flank, directed by Cucurella and Nico Williams. Intriguingly, Cucurella outperformed Lamine in tackles attempted and won, as well as interceptions, hinting that coach Luis de la Fuente may have intended for the Barcelona star to adopt a more defensive posture.

With 17 total duels, more than any other player, it raises questions regarding the coach’s tactics. Ultimately, Lamine’s struggles were evident as he lost possession on 21 occasions, the highest in the contest.

Questions for Luis de la Fuente

Post-game, de la Fuente explained his decision to substitute the young talent.

“We were looking to inject more energy into the game,” he stated. “The introduction of Yeremy Pino and Alex Baena provided that energy and allowed us to regain control of the match and improve our finishing.”

“He (Lamine) was fatigued after a tough year and has had limited rest since Thursday. At just 17 years old, we must manage his workload effectively.”

“Today, we felt it was time to replace him to give another player an opportunity to infuse fresh energy into the match.”

However, the Spanish manager did not clarify why Pau Cubarsi, a standout performer, remained unused on the bench and why Oscar Mingueza was utilised at right-back when he struggled to track back efficiently during transitions.

Spain Dominated in Several Aspects of Play

Against a team that controlled 61.4% possession throughout the 120 minutes, Portugal deserves commendation for not only equalising twice but also for effectively managing Spain’s attacks.

Portugal excelled in total dribbles (19) and winning 50.5% of duels, yet Spain dominated in almost all other metrics.

With 16 shots compared to Portugal’s seven (their lowest in a Nations League match during the 2024/25 season), 755 accurate passes (versus Portugal’s 441), 13 tackles and interceptions (to Portugal’s eight), Spain’s performance warranted a victory.

Although intricate passing (812 was Spain’s highest recorded in this tournament) and possessing the ball may please aficionados, it does not always guarantee match success.

Ultimately, while Ronaldo’s presence may have been limited to a solitary equalising goal, that moment contributed to his team’s triumph.

Portugal Were Vulnerable

Having spent an extended time in professional football, Ronaldo understands the importance of leveraging one’s strengths while simultaneously obstructing the opponent’s strategy. On this occasion, Spain failed to capitalise on a Portugal side that appeared vulnerable, particularly as they had taken the lead twice.

Remarkably, Spain hadn’t lost any of their last 13 Nations League matches after taking an early lead, holding a W5 D1 L0 record when leading at half-time in the 2024/25 Nations League. They will surely lament their inability to close this match out.