Germany-Portugal: Will Ronaldo lead Portugal into the Nations League final?
by Thobelani Moyo | by Cydias Aujard
All eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo this Wednesday under the bright lights of the Allianz Arena to lead his team to the UEFA Nations League Final. Standing in his way is a German side that, in recent times, has been a thorn in his flesh.
The never-aging Ronaldo is known for his goal-scoring threat, but when he comes to this opponent, he has often encountered problems in the final third. He has made just five appearances against Germany in major tournaments and has only scored once.
Can he make a difference this time around?
Germany are unbeatable at home
Germany, under the guidance of head coach Julian Nagelsmann, have been a juggernaut. Nagelsmann's resume for the German senior national team is very impressive. He has been in charge for 21 games. During this period, he recorded 12 wins, six draws and three losses. It has to be mentioned that they are now unbeaten in eight games in the 2024-25 Nations League (W5, D3).
In reaching their first semi-final in the UEFA Nations League , Die Mannschaft defeated Italy 5-4 on aggregate in the quarter-final. Thanks to that feat, they were given hosting rights by UEFA for the Nations League Final Four.
Home is definitely where the heart has been for Die Mannschaft. Unbeaten in 10 home games (W8, D2) since a 3-2 defeat against Turkey in a friendly clash on November 18, 2023, home advantage could play a pivotal role in them reaching the final of this competition and lifting the trophy for the first time in the national team's history.
Portugal: Journey to the Nations League semifinal
Only seven teams managed to conclude the UEFA Nations League group stages without losing a single game, and Portugal was one of them. They picked up 14 points from six games, allowing them to top Group A1.
Roberto Martinez's men had one of the most dramatic and toughest matches in the quarter-finals. They squared off against a resilient Denmark. The first leg ended in a disappointing 1-0 defeat. However, the return leg saw them turn things around with a 5-2 victory in extra time.
This allowed them to advance to the semi-finals thanks to a 5-3 aggregate success. The semifinal will be played this Wednesday night and we have you covered with the football predictions on the match in our Germany vs Portugal preview.
Is Cristiano Ronaldo that important for Portugal?
Age is just a number, and Cristiano Ronaldo is just the perfect example of that statement. At 40 years old, he has been breaking and setting new records. Not only that, but this is an icon that has emerged as an important figure for his national team, Portugal.
He has made 219 appearances for the national team and is the all-time leading goalscorer with 136 goals scored. In his playing career, he has scored 936 goals.
Ronaldo's Impact in the 2024-25 Nations League
Cristiano Ronaldo is two games away from adding a second UEFA Nations League trophy to his international accolades and a third major trophy.
After playing an important role by guiding the team to their maiden UEFA Nations League trophy in 2019, during which he scored three decisive goals in the semi-final against Switzerland, Ronaldo has continued to be a key asset to the team, being in the semi-finals this season.
Check out his stats in the UEFA Nations League this season below:
- Matches played: 7
- Goals scored: 6
- Assists: 1
- Passing accuracy: 87.72%
- Total attempts: 30
In regard to the stats mentioned above, we can see that he has been a reliable attacker for Portugal and can step up when it matters most.
Final Thoughts
Cristiano Ronaldo may be aging, but he has not once given his body a breathing room as he keeps on pushing it to the limit. It's true that the Portugal faithful are relying on Ronaldo to help them come out on top in this season's UEFA Nations League.
There are players who have also played an important role for the senior national team, particularly in the UEFA Nations League. Let's not look far and give credit to Bruno Fernandes, a great example. He has been directly involved in six goal involvements, scoring two goals and providing four assists.
Ronaldo, without the help of his teammates, cannot lead Portugal to the UEFA Nations League final. His efforts will be rendered ineffective. Team effort is required, and that way, his goals will be achievable.
