UEFA Nations League Final: Portugal take on defending champions Spain; Cristiano Ronaldo aims for second trophy

Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal will take on defending UEFA Nations League champions Spain in the final at the Allianz Arena on Sunday. The game will mark the first time Ronaldo and Lamine Yamal play against each other as Spain look to become the first side to defend their Nations League crown.Portugal beat Germany 2-1 in the final thanks to goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Francisco Conceicao. Spain on the other hand, reached the final following a thrilling 5-4 win over France, in which Lamine Yamal scored a brace. Inaugural Nations League Champions Portugal have reached their first final since the win over Netherlands in 2019. Spain will play in their third Nations League final, with their previous final appearance ending in a 2-1 defeat to Spain.Portugal's charge for the crown is anchored by a 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, whose efforts are compounded by the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias. The skipper has sparked controversy ahead of the final, following his comments on the Ballon d'Or and who he thinks should win it. Ronaldo's claim that the Ballon d'Or should be given to a player that has played in the Champions League final elicited a strong response from former Bayern Munich man Franck Ribery. The Frenchman hit out at Ronaldo, posting an Instagram story that read, "So you need to win the Champions League to win the Ballon d'Or?" laughed Ribery as he reacted to Ronaldo.Ronaldo's statement ahead of the final is related to the fact that both Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele alongside Raphinha are frontrunners for Ballon d'Or. Yamal, as seen on several occasions ahead of big games, tends to make bold claims, after which he performs to silence those that 'doubted' him. He did the same ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 semi-final against France, where he responded to Adrien Rabiot's message that he needs to 'do more than he's done till now'. Yamal responded with an Instagram story that read "Move in silence. Only speak when it's time to say checkmate."Ronaldo also shared his thoughts on Yamal, where he said, "The boy is doing things very, very well. The club and the national team helped him a lot. He is in a conducive environment. But I ask that you let the boy grow up for the sake of football." The teenager racked up 16 goals and 13 assists in all competitions. He played a crucial role in his side reaching the Champions League semi-final, before they fell to Inter 7-6 on aggregate.The Al-Nassr man on the other hand, scored 33 goals in the Saudi Pro League and AFC Champions League combined.As the final draws closer, a compelling narrative will take center stage. 40-year-old Ronaldo, who is in his final years and is one the best players in the history of the sport, will take on 17-year-old Yamal, the teenage sensation dubbed by many as the one that will become the heir to the throne.Luis de la Fuente's Spain have not tasted defeat in their last 10 Nations League away outings, while Portugal, under Roberto Martinez, has only lost one of their last 10 games in the competiton.A win for Ronaldo and Co will make the veteran the first captain to lift two titles, while a win for Spain will symbolize the win of young brilliance over one of the greatest names in the old guard.