Tearful Ronaldo says 'duty done' after 2nd NL win

Portugal skipper Cristiano Ronaldo shed tears of joyousness arsenic they won their 2nd Nations League rubric connected Sunday, insisting that winning trophies with his state beats each nine honors.

Ronaldo's 138th planetary extremity successful the 2nd fractional took the last to penalties aft a 2-2 gully with Spain, with the substituted 40-year-old guardant looking connected from the sidelines arsenic Portugal netted each 5 spot kicks to assertion the title.

The triumph, which near the five-time Champions League victor successful tears, was Ronaldo's 3rd connected the planetary stage, accompanying his 2016 European Championship and 2019 Nations League winners' medals.

"What a joy," Ronaldo told Sport TV. "First of each for this generation, which deserved a rubric of this magnitude, for our families. My children came here, my wife, my brother, my friends.

"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 Portugal it is ever a peculiar feeling. Being skipper of this procreation is simply a root of pride. Winning a rubric is ever the pinnacle successful a nationalist team."

Ronaldo's aboriginal remains uncertain. He said past week helium did not program to play astatine the Club World Cup successful the United States, which starts aboriginal this month, contempt being courted by clubs taking portion successful the 32-team tournament.

The Al Nassr guardant said helium had respective offers from different teams to play successful the U.S., portion Al Nassr sporting manager Fernando Hierro said past period the squad is negotiating with Ronaldo implicit a declaration hold but faced contention from clubs anxious to motion the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

For now, however, helium is focused connected celebrating his latest triumph, having played successful the last with an injury.

"I had already felt it during the warmup, I had been feeling it for immoderate time, but for the nationalist team, if I had to interruption my leg, I would person breached it," Ronaldo said. "It's for a trophy, I had to play and I gave it my all.

"It's for our nation. We are a tiny people, but with a precise large ambition. The aboriginal is abbreviated term. Now is the clip to remainder well. I had the wounded and that was the maximum, the maximum.

"I pushed, due to the fact that for the nationalist squad you person to push."

Information from Reuters and The Associated Press was utilized successful this story.