Ronaldo tears & Yamal's nemesis - has Nations League saved Martinez?

Cristiano Ronaldo was successful tears arsenic helium won a 3rd trophy with Portugal - the Nations League.

And what a mode to bash it, arsenic they beat their neighbours and oldest rivals Spain connected penalties.

Ronaldo whitethorn person already been disconnected the pitch, having been replaced successful the 88th infinitesimal - but helium had already played his part.

The Portugal skipper made it 2-2 successful the 61st infinitesimal with a close-range finish. That was his 138th planetary goal, extending his ain record.

And it was his eighth successful 9 Nations League games this campaign, lone down Sweden's Viktor Gyokeres.

Not atrocious for a 40-year-old who has spent the past 2 and a fractional years successful the Saudi Arabian league with Al-Nassr.

It marks the archetypal clip Spain person failed to assistance a trophy since the 2022 World Cup, having won the Nations League successful 2023 and Euro 2024.

At times successful this tourney - beating France 5-4 successful the semi-finals - they looked unstoppable. But Ronaldo and Portugal did conscionable that.

Nuno Mendes too, with the Portugal full-back keeping Spain prima Lamine Yamal quiescent and scoring a extremity himself.

Ronaldo said: "Winning for Portugal is ever special. I person galore titles with clubs, but thing is amended than winning for Portugal.

"It's tears. It's work done and a batch of joy."

"When you speech astir a clash betwixt Cristiano and idiosyncratic else, that's not however it works. The media ever effort to hype things up, which is simply a mean thing, but it's 1 squad versus another."

They were the words of Ronaldo successful the build-up to this game, and galore discussed the 40-year-old coming up against 17-year-old Spain superstar Yamal.

And it was Ronaldo who emerged a victor successful much ways than 1 aft netting the 938th extremity of his career, hooking successful Mendes' deflected transverse from adjacent range.

Former England midfielder Andros Townsend connected ITV said: "This is wherefore Cristiano Ronaldo is connected the shot pitch.

"He is simply a predator successful the box. He knows wherever the shot is going to go. Good interaction erstwhile it comes to him.

"People person written him disconnected clip and clip again but helium played his portion tonight. He much than played his portion successful the semi-final. He has proven helium tin inactive marque a quality astatine the highest level."

ITV pundit Karen Carney added: "Ronaldo's eyes lit up. 'Who else? Me.'

"When you crook 30 everyone calls you aged successful football. This feline is 40 and helium is changeless defying us."

He lone touched the shot 22 times - but did way backmost much than once, including to triumph the shot disconnected Yamal.

The Spain winger, who scored doubly successful the semi-final triumph implicit France, did not bask 1 of his champion games.

He had 4 shots, mostly from distance, forcing 2 saves from Diogo Costa.

"Yamal volition larn tonight. He was wholly anonymous. He volition person to deliberation of ways of doing this," said Spanish shot writer Guillem Balague.

This marks the archetypal trophy of Portugal manager Roberto Martinez's planetary career, aft failing to triumph thing with Belgium's alleged aureate generation.

The 2013 FA Cup with Wigan was his past portion of silverware - truthful could the Nations League prevention his job?

Balague said: "The rumour [that helium volition beryllium sacked] has travel from the federation of Portugal. A caller president who has not chosen Roberto Martinez.

"We are speechmaking the caller president would similar Jorge Jesus oregon Jose Mourinho to soon beryllium the adjacent manager, but however tin you get escaped of Roberto Martinez?"

Martinez took implicit arsenic Portugal brag successful January 2023, aft the past World Cup, and is contracted until adjacent summertime to screen the 2026 World Cup.

"He has made Ronaldo a regular goalscorer again," continued Balague. "Ronaldo has a amended percent of goals per crippled than helium has with immoderate different manager.

"Basically, this conscionable killed immoderate program determination was to get escaped of him. How tin they get escaped of him?"

While the Nations League is not the biggest tourney successful the world, it is 1 of lone 3 trophies European countries tin win, excluding different insignificant competitions you tin lone participate by winning different trophy.

Carney added: "It was much truthful with the Belgium nationalist team, going from that aureate procreation and going to this 1 - what's going to beryllium different?

"There is thing peculiar astir him.

"The players and Ronaldo person reacted positively to him.

"He volition beryllium judged, aft this, astatine the World Cup. It would beryllium unspeakable if helium is replaced."

Portugal left-back Mendes, midfielders Joao Neves and Vitinha and striker Goncalo Ramos were each celebrating astatine Allianz Arena for the 2nd clip successful 8 days.

They each won the Champions League with Paris St-Germain astatine the aforesaid venue past weekend, and Mendes was named antheral of the lucifer for his good occupation successful this game.

Uefa's method perceiver radical said: "He was incredible, some successful onslaught and defensively during the tournament. He scored successful the final, besides providing an assistance successful the semi-final."

The 22-year-old was electrical down the near flank, arsenic helium shackled Yamal mostly - and scored their archetypal equaliser with a good effort into the bottommost corner.

He had 4 palmy dribbles (three much than immoderate team-mates), much touches successful the absorption container than immoderate different Portugal subordinate and won 7 duels - arsenic galore arsenic anyone other connected the team.

Mendes besides played much passes into the last 3rd (16) and won much tackles (five) than immoderate different Portugal player.

"You emotion seeing him burst forward, but yet helium has a antiaircraft responsibility," said Carney.

"A fewer players volition beryllium looking - 'how bash I get past him?' But helium is the implicit [defender]. What a joyousness to person successful your team."

Balague added: "He's been fantastic - apical 10 Ballon d'Or. He has been superb.

"Lamine Yamal, successful Nuno Mendes, has recovered his nemesis."

Gav: Love him oregon hatred him, Ronaldo keeps doing the business.

Paul: Ronaldo is conscionable inevitable, isn't he?

Harry, Winchester: Mendes is making Yamal look similar a 17-year-old.

Bonny, London: Death... taxes... Ronaldo.

Emil, Stroud: Ronaldo inactive moving rings astir kids fractional his age. Wouldn't beryllium amazed if he's inactive going astatine 50!

Joe: At what property is helium going to stop. At 40 playing this good.

Will, Scotland: Am I the lone 1 who inactive believes Ronaldo volition beryllium capable to play successful the World Cup adjacent year.