Ronaldo shed tears after lifting the Nations League twice alongside Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo was overcome by emotions on Sunday night as Portugal framing Spain with a penalty to win the Second Nations League title.
The legendary captain once again declared that winning in his country outweighs all the achievements of many of his clubs.
Ronaldo’s 138th international goal helped Portugal return to the finals, finishing 2-2 after an extra time. The 40-year-old forward was replaced before the shootout, but he saw from the sidelines as his teammates converted all five penalties to seal the victory.
The result was tears of joy from the five Ballon d’Or winners. He has now lifted three major international trophies. He won the Euro 2016, his first Nations League in 2019, and now the Second Nations League crown in 2025.
“What a joy,” Ronaldo said. “Firstly, this generation deserves a title of this size, and for the family, my children are here: my wife, siblings, my friends.
“Victory in Portugal is always special. I have many titles for the club, but there’s nothing better than winning in Portugal. It’s tears. It’s obligation and a lot of joy.”
It’s us!!!! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ypqyflkkie
– Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) June 9, 2025
Ronaldo, who captained his country to gain glory again, played injured in the final.
“I was already feeling it while warming up. I had felt it for a while, but for the national team, if I had to break my leg, I would have broken it,” he revealed.
“It’s because of the trophy, I had to play, and I gave it all.”
“We are small people, but we have huge ambitions. Being captain of this generation is a source of pride. Winning a title is always the pinnacle of the national team.”
His future remains uncertain. Ronaldo recently ruled out his participation in the upcoming Club World Cup in the US despite reporting interest from several clubs competing in the 32-team tournament.
Al Nassr’s sports director Fernando Hierro confirmed that there is serious competition with teams eager to seduce veteran stars while Saudi clubs negotiate contract extensions.
But for now, Ronaldo is focusing on the moment rather than the next move.
“The future is short-term,” he said. “It’s time to rest well. I’ve been injured and it was the biggest, the biggest. I pushed, because you have to push.”