Ronaldo: Spain vs. Portugal Final Bigger Than Me vs. Yamal

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, acknowledged he’s from “another generation” compared to Spain’s 17-year-old star Lamine Yamal but said Sunday’s Nations League final in Munich is about more than just the two of them.

Billed as a clash between the veteran icon and the young prodigy, the final follows Ronaldo’s winning goal against Germany and Yamal’s man-of-the-match brace in Spain’s 5-4 semifinal win over France. Ronaldo downplayed the individual hype, calling Spain “maybe the best national team” and praising their squad, including Nico Williams, Pedri, and coach Luis de la Fuente.

Portugal last beat Spain competitively at Euro 2004, when a teenage Ronaldo starred. Like Yamal, who helped Barcelona to a league and cup double this season after Euro 2024 success, Ronaldo was once a breakout talent. He urged the media to let Yamal, “with the funny hair,” grow without pressure, noting he’s just “three years older than my son.”

Both teams have won the Nations League—Spain in 2023, Portugal in 2019—and now face off for the title.