Germany looked set to face Spain or France in the final when Florian Wirtz – who is expected to leave Bayer Leverkusen for Liverpool in a deal worth more than £100million – nodded home early in the second half. 

Substitute Conceicao scored a wonderful 63rd-minute equaliser for Portugal, then Ronaldo, having passed up a couple of earlier chances, tapped home to complete the turnaround and keep the Selecao's hopes of a second Nations League title alive.

Portugal made the stronger start as Ronaldo pulled a left-footed effort straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen, while the lively Pedro Neto fired over the crossbar after a driving run.

But Germany soon came into the contest and was denied twice in three minutes by Diogo Costa. He tipped Nick Woltemade's curler around his left post before springing the other way to turn Leon Goretzka's strike away with an even more impressive stop.

Another opportunity was passed up by Ronaldo two minutes into the second half, then Germany struck at the other end a minute later.

Wirtz recovered possession and drifted infield to find Joshua Kimmich, then ghosted into the box to nod the midfielder's return pass into the bottom-right corner. Referee Slavko Vincic was sent to the VAR monitor to check if Woltemade interfered with play from an offside position, but he opted to award the goal.

Bruno Fernandes curled wide after a jinking run, but a triple substitution just before the hour breathed fresh life into Portugal's hopes, with Conceicao stepping off the bench to whip a wonderful 20-yard effort into the far corner.

Five minutes after Conceicao's leveller, Portugal was ahead. Fernandes's pass released Nuno Mendes into the area, and Ronaldo just about stayed onside to tap his centre home.

Conceicao almost made it a brace after a glorious run in the 82nd minute, and with the game stretched, Karim Adeyemi rattled the post at the other end just 37 seconds later.

Ter Stegen also made a brilliant double save to deny Diogo Jota and Conceicao, but Portugal ultimately did not need a third goal as it managed the dying stages expertly.