Cristiano Ronaldo sends Portugal into UEFA Nations League final: Stats
05 Jun 2025

Cristiano Ronaldo's goal helped Portugal defeat Germany 2-1 in the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League.

Despite Germany taking the lead early in the second half with Florian Wirtz's stunning goal, Portugal made a strong comeback.

Francisco Conceicao and Ronaldo each scored a goal to secure their team's victory.

Conceicao scores just 5 minutes after coming on
Impact player

Substitute Francisco Conceicao made an immediate impact after coming on in the second half.

He received the ball on the right flank, cut inside, and delivered a curling shot that went past Marc-Andre ter Stegen, equalizing the score in the 63rd minute of play.

Ronaldo nets his 137th international goal, helps Portugal secure win
Game-changer

Five minutes after Conceicao's equalizer, Ronaldo scored the decisive second goal for Portugal.

Nuno Mendes played a quick one-two with Bruno Fernandes before racing down the left flank into the box.

Instead of shooting, Mendes selflessly passed to an unmarked Ronaldo, who tapped it home.

This was Ronaldo's 137th international goal for Portugal and it turned out to be the winner, securing their place in the final against either France or Spain.

How Germany scored the opener
Controversial moment

Germany scored a fantastic goal in the second half when Wirtz picked up the ball after Trincao lost it.

He quickly passed to Joshua Kimmich and made a run into the box.

Kimmich sent an accurate pass to Wirtz, who headed it past goalkeeper Diogo Costa for a brilliant goal in the 48th minute.

The referee used VAR to review the goal, and after a brief wait, confirmed it, which left Portugal's coach Roberto Martinez frustrated.

A rare headed goal for Wirtz
Fact

As per Opta, Wirtz scored with a header in a competitive match for the first time in 1,579 days - it was his second such goal as a professional, having previously scored a header only in the Bundesliga in February 2021.