On a stormy evening in Munich, where hail and heavy rain delayed the opening whistle, soccer returned with fury and beauty. At the Allianz Arena, a stadium where history echoes in every corner, Germany and Portugal collided in a UEFA Nations League semifinal soaked in symbolism, soaked in rain—and eventually, soaked in goals.
Germany had the home crowd. They had momentum. They had youth. But in the end, they did not have Cristiano Ronaldo.
After a scoreless first half where Germany were the more aggressive side, creating chances through Leon Goretzka and Nick Voltemade, the hosts finally found their breakthrough just three minutes into the second half. Florian Wirtz made no mistake after Joshua Kimmich threaded a perfect ball through the heart of Portugal’s defense. The 21-year-old found himself alone in front of Diogo Costa and calmly headed home to give Germany a 1-0 lead.
There was a brief moment of tension as VAR reviewed Voltemade’s position for offside, but Slavko Vincic ultimately allowed the goal to stand.
Martinez’s substitutions flip the game
The true turning point came not on the pitch, but on the sidelines. With his team trailing and struggling to respond, Portugal manager Roberto Martinez made a triple substitution. On came Francisco Conceicao, Nelson Semedo, and Vitinha—and suddenly, everything changed.
In the 63rd minute, Conceicao announced his arrival with style. Cutting in from the right wing, he unleashed a curling left-footed strike from outside the box that sailed past Marc-Andre ter Stegen and into the far corner.
Five minutes later, it was Ronaldo’s moment. It was Nuno Mendes, another of Portugal’s relentless engines, who set up the winner. Playing a quick one-two with Bruno Fernandes, Mendes broke free down the left. With Ter Stegen charging, he squared the ball unselfishly to a waiting Ronaldo.
There was no mistake. A simple tap-in—his 137th international goal in his 220th appearance. VAR briefly reviewed the play, checking for offside, but replays showed Ronaldo had timed his run to perfection.
Portugal ends 25-year hoodoo against Germany
It wasn’t just any win. Portugal had not beaten Germany in 25 years—not since Sergio Conceicao netted a hat-trick at Euro 2000. Now, 25 years later, it was his son, Francisco, who scored the equalizer to help flip the script.
For the 40-year-old Ronaldo, the win was equally cathartic. The legendary forward had lost all five previous matches against Germany in major tournaments. Tonight, he walked away the winner, the difference-maker, the icon who still shapes the game.
With the 2-1 win, the Seleção das Quinas have booked their place in the Nations League final. Awaiting them will be either defending champions Spain or World Cup runners-up France, who meet in Stuttgart on Thursday. It promises to be a showdown between generations, as Kylian Mbappe or Lamine Yamal will look to challenge the old master.
