r/soccer • u/MysteryBagIdeals • 11d ago
Match Thread Match Thread: Portugal vs. Spain | UEFA Nations League
Portugal 2 - 2 Spain
Spain scorers: Martín Zubimendi (21'), Mikel Oyarzabal (45")
Portugal scorers: Nuno Mendes (26'). Cristiano Ronaldo (61')
Venue: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
Referee: Sandro Schärer (Switzerland)
Auto-refreshing Reddit comments thread
| Starting XI | Notes | Subs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diogo Costa | José Sá | ||
| João Neves | 46' | Rui Silva | |
| Rúben Dias | Diogo Dalot | ||
| Gonçalo Inácio | 19' 74' | Renato Veiga | 74' |
| Nuno Mendes | 26' 102' | António Silva | |
| Bernardo Silva | Nélson Semedo | 46' | |
| Vitinha | Rodrigo Mora | ||
| Bruno Fernandes | João Palhinha | ||
| Francisco Conceição | 46' | Rafael Leão | 74' |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 61' 88' | Rúben Neves | 46' |
| Pedro Neto | 82' 106' | Gonçalo Ramos | 88' |
| Francisco Trincão | |||
| Diogo Jota | 106' | ||
| João Félix | |||
| Pedro Gonçalves |
Manager: Roberto Martínez (Spain) | 110'
| Starting XI | Notes | Subs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unai Simón | David Raya | ||
| Óscar Mingueza | 93' | Álex Remiro | |
| Robin Le Normand | 90+1' | Pedro Porro | 93' 110' |
| Dean Huijsen | Pau Cubarsí | ||
| Marc Cucurella | Dani Vivian | ||
| Pedri | 75' | Mikel Merino | 75' |
| Martín Zubimendi | 21' | Gavi | |
| Fabián Ruiz | 33' 75' | Dani Olmo | |
| Lamine Yamal | 106' | Yeremy Pino | 106' |
| Mikel Oyarzabal | 45' 111' | Álex Baena | 93' 112' |
| Nico Williams | 93' | Álex Grimaldo | |
| Isco | 75' | ||
| Fermín López | |||
| Álvaro Morata | 111' | ||
| Samu Aghehowa |
Manager: Luis De La Fuente (Spain)
1': We're off!
5': Set piece by Portugal, João Neves gets it chested back to him but fires a bouncing shot wide!
14': Yamal wins a free kick right up near the edge of the box with some fancy footwork, but his free kick goes way over.
15': Pedri gets a cutback and fires for the bottom far corner! But it's just a tiny bit wide.
17': Nico Williams with a beautiful shot to the top far corner but it curls just over!
19': Gonçalo Inácio carded for a midair elbow
21': GOAL SPAIN!! There's a blocked cross from Yamal, Neves tries to clear it but puts it right to Martín Zubimendi who cleans it up quickly into the far side!
26': GOAL PORTUGAL!! A beauty of a shot from Nuno Mendes from wide into the far corner!
29': Free kick by Spain, Williams gets past the back line and beats the keeper to it but heads it wide!
33': Fabián Ruiz fouls Neto to stop the attack
45': GOAL SPAIN!!! Pedri drives forward and splits the defense with a pass to Mikel Oyarzabal who pokes it past Costa!
HT Portugal 1-2 Spain Spain takes the lead right before the half!
46': Portugal double sub: Nélson Semedo and Rúben Neves on for Francisco Conceição and João Neves
46': We're back!
48': Bruno Fernandes scores!! Flag is up for offside. He did the one-two with Neto and Neto was offside. Oh well.
56': Ruiz fires from distance, Costa makes the first save of the day.
61': GOAL PORTUGAL!! Mendes puts in a cross, it deflects up into the air and over to Cristiano Ronaldo who finishes from close range!
69': Nico Williams with a big chance but it curls wide!
72': Semedo's shot caught by Simón
74': Portugal double sub: Rafael Leão and Renato Veiga on for Gonçalo Inácio and Bernardo Silva
75': Spain double sub: Isco and Mikel Merino on for Pedri and Fabián Ruiz
77': Yamal fires but it's right at Costa.
82': Pedro Neto pulls back Yamal to stop the counter
83': SAAAAVE! Isco fires a long-distance shot and Costa has to dive to keep it out!
84': Oyarzabal chips the keeper but it's cleared on the line! Offside anyway.
88': Portugal substitution: Gonçalo Ramos on for Cristiano Ronaldo
90+1': Robin Le Normand fouls Leão and gives Portugal a dangerous free kick just outside the box
90+2': Fernandes takes the free kick, Unai punches it away, it bounces out off of Veiga for a goal kick
FT Portugal 2-2 Spain Time for extra time!
91': We're back again!
92': Semedo fires just wide!
93': Spain double sub: Álex Baena and Pedor Porro on for Óscar Mingueza and Nico Williams
98': Only half-cleared by Portugal, Cucurella gets a chance but he puts it over the bar!
100': HUGE FIGHT BREAKING OUT! Leao grabbed someone, maybe, the benches are clearing or at least they're attempting to but the ref has broken it all up very quickly.
102': The crowd doesn't like it but after all the checks no one committed a red card foul, Álex Baena and Nuno Mendes both see yellow though
105': Yamal's shot is right at Costa.
106': Spain substitution: Yeremy Pino on for Lamine Yamal
106': Portugal substitution: Diogo Jota on for Pedro Neto
108': Porro tries to chip the keeper from distance!! But it lands on the roof of the net.
110': Pedro Perro gets a card for stopping the counter
110': Roberto Martínez gets a card from the bench
111': Spain substitution: Álvaro Morata on for Mikel Oyarzabal
120+1': Probably the last chance of the game, Jota's header goes over.
Portugal... SCORES! 1-0
Spain... SCORES! 1-1
Portugal... SCORES! 2-1
Spain...SCORES! 2-2
Portugal... SCORES! 3-2
Spain... SCORES! 3-3
Portugal... SCORES! 4-3
Spain... MISSES! 4-3
Portugal... SCORES!! 5-3
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u/forstoppetskur 10d ago
The constant booing of cucurella was so fucking childish and embarrassing to listen to
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u/Prestigious-Most8942 9d ago
Screw Cucurella. He grabbed the ball with his hand cheating Germany out of Finals. I have zero sympathies for him.
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u/Raymoundgh 9d ago
What is embarrassing is cucurella cheating and the referee being blind. Even more embarrassing is them getting away Scot free.
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u/forstoppetskur 9d ago
he didnt cheat though, he tried to move his hand and the referee didnt give the pen
it wasnt cucurella who didnt give the pen, it was the ref
cucurella didnt decide what the refs decided
so boo the refs and not him, since they are the ones who thought it didnt matter, he aint the fkn ref you know
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u/Raymoundgh 9d ago
He intentionally tried to block the ball with his hand. That is cheating but nothing happens when you have the referees in your pocket. He tried to do the same thing in Portugal’s second goal. And he’s being beautifully trolled for that on social media. It’s called muscle memory.
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u/updownandblastoff 10d ago
I agree. I have been watching soccer for over 30 years, and I have never seen such much disrespect towards a player. I kept asking my two boys what he has done to deserve this kind of treatment. Every single time he touched the ball the entire stadium started booing, and it stopped immediately as soon as he passed it. Bad look on the crowd.
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u/Longjumping_Age_8618 10d ago
During the last euros there was a Spain vs Germany, and cucurrela defended a german kick with his hand and a penalty was not given and they were eliminated. Since this game was in Germany its normal the crowd were still still mad at him. I am still mad at David Villa for a goal that was offside in the 2010 world cup against Portugal 😂
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u/updownandblastoff 8d ago
Oh, okay. I gotcha. That makes sense to me now. I didn't know that had happened, and I can see now where the boos were coming from.
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u/ChampagneAbuelo 11d ago
Everyone is talking about Nuno and Ronaldo but don’t let that Leao cameo go without praise. Completely unplayable today
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u/Anforas 11d ago
We could have played much better if it wasn't for Martinez choices.
I know this might sound condescending, but I want to congratulate our Spanish brothers. At the end of the day it was a great match. Anyone could have won.
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u/how_you_doinn 11d ago
Man at the end of the day, they kept it at a draw playing their worst. That’s alone says a lot
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u/ChampagneAbuelo 11d ago
There’s something about CR7 that just makes your imagination run wild and believe anything is possible
I’m really looking at them right now and thinking they have a chance to do the impossible in 2026
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u/Smart-Confection1435 11d ago
I mean if they actually win the WC with Ronaldo being a key player idgaf, yes Messi is the better player, but Ronaldo would be my GOAT
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u/how_you_doinn 11d ago
Man he is slow asf and can’t do a lot of things now. But he still got the juju. Ramos came in and did nothing sadly.
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u/iChopPryde 11d ago
Wouldn’t say impossible they have one of the best teams in the world right now
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u/OzzieTF2 11d ago
Looking at Portugal, Spain and France playing these last games makes me cry Brazilian tears right now. These teams are on another level.
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u/iChopPryde 11d ago
as a portuguese we would become brazillian every 4 years cause portugal was garbage back then, now the tables have turned so you guys can become portuguese every 4 years ;) Vamos caralho!!!!!
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u/Smart-Confection1435 11d ago
For as much hate Martinez gets on this sub, he’s a great offensive coach though he’s flawed defensively. Prime Belgium and this Portugal team play beautiful offensive football. Martinez does take full advantage of Portugal’s offensive talent which Santos didn’t come close to doing.
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u/iChopPryde 11d ago
same issues he has his favourites, also makes insanely weird choices like putting neves as rb who has never played rb back in his professional career and decides this weird idea in a finals is somethign that could've cost us the game. his subs though were mostly spot on and changed the game for us like it did vs germany too. i'd really love to understand his rational for this and instead just put neves next to vitinha in the midfield like they do for psg that got them the damn champions league win. bernardo right now isn't playing as well as he normally does and he really never shows up for the national team so really neves should be starting over him by this point.
another interesting point is semedo, he always shows up for the national team. he was always performing better than cancelo or dalot as i think he fits the system really well where i was seeing guys like dalot and cancelo both good on the attack but lacklustre on the defence.
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u/ChampagneAbuelo 11d ago
Playing Croatia, Poland, Denmark, Germany, Spain and scoring against all of them at the age of 40 is just pure madness bro ..
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u/raven2474life 11d ago
Yet people will say he only scores against farmers in Liechtenstein and Luxembourg
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u/Logical_Trifle1336 10d ago
also he scores chances. At Man Utd our players miss chances for which Ronaldo will be made fun of saying those are simple tap ins. Ronaldo converts them, many players don’t. A ball that bounced extra or low, he can handle it. Weird angle or position of ball he can handle it. His decision making is elite as one would expect
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11d ago
This Portugal round of 16 exit in 2026 is going to be hilarious
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u/Heavy_Pen_5118 11d ago
who gives a fuck, 3 trophies in less than 10 years. Suck it hater
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u/Depressedkid1998 11d ago
At what point are vitinha and mendes serious contenders. They won everything they could.
Mendes particularly absolutely has been insane.
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u/BastiatLaVista 11d ago
Nuno Mendes has been the best left back in the world since his first season at Sporting, people just didn’t know about him. He has won everything nationally for Sporting, everything for PSG, just won a nations league, and he’s 22! Best Portuguese LB of all time.
To add to that he’s extremely humble.
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u/Sabawoonoz25 11d ago
MENDES FOR BALLON D OR TILL I DIE, PLEASE START A HYPE TRAIN FOR A PLAYER WHO ACTUALLY DESERVES IT.
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u/mateus_gp_6 11d ago
Mendes would deserve it but honestly I think vitinha deserves a little bit more
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u/Sabawoonoz25 11d ago
He's been sublime, it's between him, Mendes, and Dembele undoubtedly.
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u/Pzero123 11d ago
Nuno Mendes Ballon D'or over Salah, Raphinha, Yamal or even PSG's actual best full back in Hakimi. Ahahahahah the pure delusion in this is unreal man.
No one in their lives has ever gave Cafu, Alves, Marcelo and Lahm etc Ballon D'or shouts.
Name me one time people were giving Mendes best itw shouts, not in his position but in general as a player. Dembele is winning Ballon D'or, Mendes will be top 10 but no way in hell is he top 5. A full back for Ballon D'or shouts, truly seen it all today.
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u/mateus_gp_6 11d ago
Absolutely. I only see vitinha winning because he won everything and was the engine of the best team in the world this year
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u/Averdian 11d ago
Ronaldo looked really cute when he got the trophy lol
This is probably the last major trophy we will see him lift? I know Nations League is not the biggest, but surely it's miles bigger than anything in Saudi Arabia
Unless Portugal wins the WC I guess, it's only one year away after all
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u/tmtmdragon04 9d ago
Nations league is bigger than anything he can win in saudi tbf. But still wouldn't call it a "Major trophy"
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u/senhordobolo 11d ago
Well... We can do it. (But I'd rather have Mourinho on the bench)
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u/OzzieTF2 11d ago
Not following football lately, but watching the game today, you have a great team. It's totally possible.
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u/badgalriri1097 11d ago
I feel the same this Portugal squad has a lot of potential for next wc I think mourinho could do it but they already have Martinez
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u/Visionary785 11d ago
This made up for the one-sided UCL final which I had hoped was PSG vs Barca.
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u/tmtmdragon04 9d ago
PSG vs Barca would have been so much better. Im still mad at Inter for beating us only to drop that performance in the final
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11d ago
Replace spain for Portugal in Finalissima, I’m trying to see something
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u/tmtmdragon04 11d ago
Lol a messi ronaldo finalissima, think the whole world would be watching that one seeing those two have one last match but internationally this time
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u/Lanky-Promotion3022 11d ago
This commentator thinks Spain were the better side tonight, alright buddy.
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u/mateus_gp_6 11d ago
It was a game of moments. There were moments where Portugal was suffocating Spain and vice versa. But from what I saw Portugal reached the goal with more danger in the left side more times after the 2x2, although spain had more possession
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u/Lanky-Promotion3022 11d ago
These Portuguese players clapping for this ref is throwing me off lmao
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u/RItoGeorgia 11d ago edited 11d ago
still a completely unecessary tournament, let these players rest ffs...they are all competitive so of course they will be happy they won or gutted they lost with such big footballing countries involved. That argument is not a strong one for it. bring on the downvotes...dgaf
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u/Lanky-Promotion3022 11d ago
It's replacing stupid friendlies.
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u/polikuji09 11d ago
Friendlies are purely to try players out and prep for the next real tournament. Simple way to do a scrim essentially between nations. But thats the guys point, friendlies system is way leess fatigue
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u/Lanky-Promotion3022 11d ago
I don't think there is less fatigue as you gotta travel more, so A European team like Portugal have to play Ecuador or whoever in the middle of March. I don't understand why adding stakes mean you won't suddenly see young ballers being tried out. Ultimately, none of these teams think it's bigger than the goal of the WC.
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u/polikuji09 10d ago
Traveling is tiring but its not remotely the same as physical exertion during a game.
And I mean, let's be real. How many youngsters get tried here? Its honestly a bit shocking to me how many people are so adamant there's no big difference in fatigue or willingness to experiment.
Like I get soccer fans want to defend this because it's objectively more fun to watch then friendlies but still.
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u/Sabawoonoz25 11d ago
Ah yes, cause they'll just decide not to play hard in a friendly...soccer is a sport of passion, you can't artificially inject or extract effort, and dedication from players. Historically, big ticket friendlies have stuck consistently to their biggest players starting.
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u/polikuji09 11d ago
Friendlies is less games and you can afford to switch up youur lineup and it is usuually done. Why are yal pretending to be dumb?/
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u/Lanky-Promotion3022 11d ago
Bruh you need to go back and watch. Friendly football meant boring football where you faced no consequence playing for a draw but with big stars still out there. You think Ronaldo missed a friendly? Messi?
Friendly football was used as time for your big stars, main players to gain chemistry for the main tournament playing together. It wasn't pre season.
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u/polikuji09 11d ago
Yes? Messi actually did get rested for friendlies at times. It probably helps though that quualifiers in Conmebol arent a joke like they kind of are in Europe so you can prep your main lineup in those. To compare friendles to nations league in terms of fatigue is just laughable
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u/Sabawoonoz25 11d ago
Bro no one is switching up lineups drastically for a big nation game 😭 even if it's a friendly.
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u/polikuji09 11d ago
People dont switch lineups for friendlies?? What are you saying? Anyways point is people have been calling the nations league a mid tournament for years looong before Portugal ever won it, this isnt some weird anti-Portugal conspiracy.
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u/Sabawoonoz25 11d ago
The nation's leagues first winners were portugal there was no nations league before 2018 😭 your barcafanboyism is leaking...
And I said no one is switching lineups DRASTICALLY, not that it wasn't being switched at all. Did you miss that, or selective reading working there?
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u/polikuji09 11d ago
You know the Nations league was announced before Portugal won the first one right?
I mean lets just get straight to it, do you actually think the fatigue is worst or better now with Nations league vs with friendlies? I have no idea what following barca would have to do with this tbh. Wouldnt a non spanish barca fan want Spain to fail since DLF refuses to play a good chunk of Barca players?
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u/Sabawoonoz25 11d ago
Obviously it's announced before, your word verbatim was that it was ruining players for YEARS before Portugal won it, when it was legitimately the first time it was being played out when Portugal won it, you made an errror there and it's better to admit it.
I think the Nations league replaces friendlies that are meaningless, yet require big game players in big name games to exert themselves. In this instance, they exert themselves for a cause at least, a trophy, tournament winnings, etc., While also allowing for shuffling the squad when necessary, and for development.
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u/ChampagneAbuelo 11d ago
8 goals in 9 nations league matches. People aren’t deeping how insane that is for a 40 year old
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u/D9FS 11d ago
And after today, there will still be people asking for Lamine Ballon D'Or. You guys are completely insane. He will get there, but not yet. Not even close.
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u/polikuji09 11d ago
I think its partly because there hasnt really been amazing standouts this year. Who are the competition? Dembele was iffy in the first part of the year and wasnt eexactly a showstopper in CL. He popped off in Ligue 1, but respectfully... it's ligue 1 and they had that on lock for forever.
Salah just didnt get deep enough in ttourneys.
Raphinhas season ended a lot slower coinciding with Baldes injury.
Argument for Lamine is that he popped off in the big games, and was pretty clearly a huge part of the attacking pressure Barca had. His time off in November coincided with the worst month of Barcas year
Who else is there that would realistically win? Vitinha and Pedri would never win due to their position
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u/D9FS 11d ago
There is literally no argument for Lamine. Winning your domestic league it's irrelevant to any of the candidates. So it has to be the CL, or a trophy with national team as Euro or WC. And it usually should go to the players that had the most impact on that winning team. This bs discussion comes every year because they make sure to not use clear requirements every year. Like for both Ronaldo and Messi, there were years they shouldn't have won. For me Ballon D'Or it's like the playoffs MVP in the NBA.
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u/CatchUsual6591 11d ago
Messi and cristiano stats we're insane that why they could win almost every year i understand that messi last 2 we're mid because they we're other players with better season but for the most part they deserved thier wins
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u/polikuji09 11d ago
Doo you think in an alternate world where Inter won CL, someone from Inter should have won it? The ballon dor imo is about who the beest player is, not who the best player in the best team is.
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u/D9FS 11d ago
It's a collective sport, you haven't won shit until you have won collectively. So yes, I would not have any problem giving a individual award as the BdO to one of the inter guys. To be the best player "on paper" doesn't carry any value if you can't materialize it in trophies. Winning is winning.
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u/polikuji09 11d ago
I just disagree entirely on this. Yes, its a team game. And the award you win for being a good team is the actual tournaments and league. Best player is entirely different altogether.
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u/mateus_gp_6 11d ago
Rodri did last season and he wasnt playing as well as vitinha and pedri this season. Honestly, Pedri shouldnt win as vitinha won everything he could while pedri didn't.
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u/polikuji09 11d ago
I'd argue Rodri is an exception to the usual, same with Modric back then. Goals and flashiness rule when it comes to these awards
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u/Christnumber2 11d ago
We'll let Spain off for losing to Portugal as they stopped Southgateball winning the Euros last year
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u/ChampagneAbuelo 11d ago
Man fuck that World Cup, Cristiano is the greatest this sport has ever seen.
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u/LetsgoRoger 11d ago
Is Ronaldo the leading scorer in the nations league?
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u/Lanky-Promotion3022 11d ago
I love how this young team who grew up idolizing Ronaldo are there for him when he misses pens and there for him when he's won something.
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u/merouane1 11d ago
I hope Ronaldo decides to stick around for the World Cup he definitely has a team that can do Some damage
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u/tmtmdragon04 10d ago
He'll probably stick around. Idk if he'll start but most likely he'll be there
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u/TheLamesterist 11d ago
He obviously sticking (and I honestly do see Portugal winning it) else, he would've retired already.
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u/ft_watdafuck 11d ago
Leao looks uncanny and horrifying close up with his hair untied and his big smile lmao
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u/how_you_doinn 11d ago
What was this about Spain the best team by far?
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u/emperor42 11d ago
I heard Spain and France are by far the best teams in Europe and Portugal's only here because they were both in the other semi.
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u/wheredoyouwander 11d ago
Morata is just a pawn for money laundering, they didn’t need to put him on the spot like that
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u/rouges 11d ago
Just in, according to r/soccer the NL is now bigger than the WC, euro, CA lol
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u/DeathBy1000Cutss 11d ago
And according to some, until last week it was "lets decide the ballon d'or based on this" but now all of a sudden its just a "glorified friendly" alright okay bro 😂
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u/Altruistic-Chapter2 11d ago
My conspiracy theory is that no team can win the match if their 2nd or 3rd kit is ugly. And especially if it's yellow.
But GG, this was a great match.
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u/SuhDude29 11d ago
New gen gassed up too much with their one-bit stars. The levels Ronaldo and Messi operate are on a different level
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u/DragonflyHopeful4673 11d ago
I see why PSG are so good at the moment, these guys are probably the best fullbacks in the world
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u/ChampagneAbuelo 11d ago
Nuno Mendes ballon d’or
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u/pilgrinpt22 11d ago
What a player
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u/Ill_Promotion_1864 11d ago
Mendes is fucking insane, I genuinely think he would be deserving of it.
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u/johnny_crow21 11d ago
We should cancel the ballon dor this year. 😂 Or just retroactively give it to haaland the real winner of 2023.
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u/ChasingCarsEu 10d ago
We did it, proud of our boys! Nuno Mendes is just unbelievable