At the beginning of June, the UEFA Nations League crowned a new champion at the final tournament held in Germany. While this tournament is still relatively young, it’s quickly gaining traction with football fans. Many already consider it a regular fixture on the European calendar. Structured smartly and implemented effectively, the competition has produced plenty of memorable matches, and the final four games were no exception, packed with goals and brilliant individual performances. For fans who followed the drama through platforms like Merkur XTip, the excitement extended well beyond the pitch.
Germany Hosts the Finals
This year’s Nations League finals were hosted by Germany, one of the four teams that qualified. As expected, they once again demonstrated their ability to organize high-profile matches. The cities of Munich and Stuttgart served as host venues, and German fans turned out in large numbers, showing strong support not only for their national team but for the tournament itself.
Portugal Outplays Germany
The first semifinal, played on June 4 in Munich, featured the hosts, Germany, taking on Portugal. Predicting a winner wasn’t easy, though Germany had a slight edge due to home-field advantage. That advantage, however, didn’t translate on the pitch. Portugal fielded a nearly full-strength squad, while Germany rested several top players.
The first half ended scoreless, but action followed soon after. Germany struck first with a goal from Wirtz in the 48th minute, sparking a quick response from Portugal. Conceição equalized in the 63rd minute, and just five minutes later, Ronaldo put Portugal ahead with a clinical finish. That goal proved decisive, as Germany couldn’t find an equalizer before the final whistle.
Spain Tops France in a Nine-Goal Thriller
The second semifinal pitted Spain against France in a match that no one will forget anytime soon. Spain surged ahead with early goals from Nico Williams and Merino. After halftime, Lamine Yamal and Pedri added two more in rapid succession, making it 4-0. Though Mbappe pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 59th minute, Spain responded with another penalty converted by Yamal in the 67th.
France fought back, with Cherki scoring a stunning goal in the 79th, and a Spanish own goal from Vivian reducing the deficit to 5–3. Kolo Muani scored in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough. Spain moved on to the final after a thrilling 5–4 victory.
France Claims Third Place
In the third-place match—always a tough sell for fans—France defeated the host nation, Germany, 2–0 in Stuttgart. Mbappe scored just before halftime, and Olise sealed the win with a goal in the 84th minute.
Portugal Beats Spain on Penalties to Win the Title
The final, held in Munich, brought together Iberian rivals Portugal and Spain. As expected, the match was tightly contested. Zubimendi put Spain ahead in the 21st minute, but Nuno Mendes equalized just five minutes later with a brilliant solo effort. Spain regained the lead before halftime thanks to Oyarzabal.
In the second half, Ronaldo scored the equalizer in the 61st minute, and the 2–2 scoreline held through the end of regulation and extra time, keeping live betting enthusiasts on their toes. Penalties would decide the champion.
Portugal converted all five of their kicks (Ramos, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Nuno Mendes, and Neves), while Spain missed one—Diogo Costa saved Morata’s shot. They mishandled Portugal’s second UEFA Nations League title.
