When Cristiano Ronaldo made his debut with Portugal 21 years ago, Lamine Yamal hadn’t even been born. There’s a 22-year age gap between the Portuguese star and the young Spanish winger, and they finally went head-to-head in the UEFA Nations League final — with the veteran coming out on top. He played a key role in the 2-2 draw and watched from the bench as his team lifted the trophy in the penalty shootout.

With Spain leading 2-1 thanks to goals from Martín Zubimendi and Mikel Oyarzabal, Nuno Mendes made a run down the left, getting past both Lamine Yamal and Óscar Mingueza. After a few deflections, the ball landed at Cristiano Ronaldo’s feet, and he calmly slotted it in with his right foot to make it 2-2. That was his 139th goal for Portugal, and his eighth in this tournament — in just nine matches.

A game of fine margins and decisive penalties

In extra time, with Cristiano subbed off after picking up a knock in the 86th minute, Lamine Yamal tried to make something happen with a couple of shots, but nothing really troubled keeper Diogo Costa. During the shootout, Portugal nailed all five penalties — Gonçalo Ramos, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Nuno Mendes, and Rúben Neves — while Álvaro Morata's miss, stopped by Costa, handed Portugal the 5-3 win.

Throughout the match, Lamine Yamal showed flashes of skill, especially in the build-up to Spain’s first goal, but he was mostly kept quiet by Nuno Mendes’ speed and Bernardo Silva’s support. The young winger struggled to make a real impact, unlike Cristiano Ronaldo, who — even at his age — still knows how to deliver when it matters most.

This was the first time the two had faced off. At 40, Cristiano Ronaldo has now played 221 games and scored 139 goals for Portugal, while 17-year-old Lamine Yamal is just getting started. He made his debut with Spain at 16 and has already been breaking all sorts of age records, but this time he came up against a true legend.

This might be Cristiano Ronaldo’s last title with Portugal, as he gears up for what could be his final tournament at the 2026 World Cup. The UEFA Nations League ends with another medal for the Portuguese captain — and a valuable lesson for the new generation led by Lamine Yamal.