WHO: Portugal and Spain
What: European League Finals
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
when: Sunday, June 8, 2025 - 3 pm kickoff (13:00 GMT)

How to follow our coverage: We will do all accumulations starting at 12:00 pm on Al Jazeera Movement (GMT).

Portugal was the inaugural champion of 2019, and the defending Spanish champion has established one of the most anticipated international finals in years as the pair prepare to face off against the UEFA National League trophy.

The final not only brings Iberian rivals together, but also brings two of the greatest talents of football - Cristiano Ronaldo and Lamin Yamal.

Although both have been crucial in leading a showdown in Munich on Sunday.

Al Jazeera's sport has carefully studied the game - Ronaldo's coveted prospects against Yamal.

How did Portugal reach the National League final?

Portugal beat the host country 2-1 in the first semifinal on Wednesday, with Ronaldo scoring the winner.

Liverpool's target Florian Wirtz brought the Germans early in the second half, with Francisco Conceicao upgrading after a big score after the winner five minutes.

How did Spain play against France in the semi-finals?

Spain and France then gained one of the great players in history in the 5-4 thriller, who dropped from 4-0 and 5-1, pushing the game to the wires.

Yamal scored twice, and was a star turn as he surpassed the highly regarded French trio of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Doure Doue, the latter two were the final victory of the Champions League from the Paris Saint-Germain Champions League.

How important is the UEFA National League Final?

There is no doubt that finalists and defeated semi-finalists will see the last three games of the 2024-2025 matches are important match times ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The tournament itself qualifies within two years, replacing the highly-watched and increasingly meaningful list of friendly friendships among countries on the continent, providing competitive games to attract club-centric players to interest in global international breakthroughs.

The two semi-finals play style sets greater expectations for the already noteworthy final and adds the value of the National League, a warm-up competition between the more prestigious World Cup and the European future European champions, held every four years.

In the final meeting with Ronaldo, Yamal said after his victory against France: "Gaming against Cristiano? He is a football legend. I will do my job, it's winning the game, that's it."

Is this the Latin American moment of Yamal shining?

Much of the external focus of the game will turn to a showdown between young Barcelona star Yamal and former Real Madrid and Manchester United legend Ronaldo.

Yamal will turn 18 next month, and over the past two years, the Catalan club’s star turn has sparked imaginations and helped them earn domestic high notes this season. The Barcelona-born striker also started for Spain in the European Cup 2024 last summer, scoring in the semi-final against France, only a few days before his 17th birthday.

Taking part in the venue and competing for the spotlight, Ronaldo (arguably the greatest footballer of all time) offers Yamal a unique and possible final opportunity to prove his career with a 40-year-old.

Is Yamal running in Ballon d'Or?

With Doue growing on PSG this year and Yamal's growing stock, now a question is whether Ronaldo and Argentinian Legend Lionel Messi are the defenders of the two best players in the game.

Both are strong contenders to lift the Ballon d'OR trophy, the award for the best player of the year in the global competition. Spanish International Rodri is the current holder after helping Manchester City win the unique five Colombian awards in 2023.

Dembele, Mbappe and his true star Vinicius Junior will also receive the 2025 awards, but Sunday's finals may win the balance of support for Yamal at the awards ceremony in September.

What is the latest news about the future of the Ronaldo Club?

Most of the conversations entering the final three games of the UEFA League focused on Ronaldo’s club future and whether he would be participating in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

The global club match has been renamed and expanded to 32 teams, with Lionel Messi titled in the host country Inter Miami, which will play against Egyptian club Al Ahly on June 14.

Ronaldo's time at Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League seems to have ended, following a forward-looking social media post on the final day of the game.

The question remains: What's next for Ronaldo? Many of the club's World Cup participants are related to the move that still captures players around the world, which will make FIFA try to boost the much-needed boost the game.

What happened when Portugal last played Spain?

Spain won 1-0 in the 2022 National League group stage match in the last match on both sides of 2022.

Alvaro Morata won the only goal of the match at Estadio Municipal de Braga in the 88th minute of the match.

Front - Portugal and Spain

Although it will be the first meeting between Yamal and Ronaldo, the history of live competition in Spain and Portugal can be traced back to the friendship in 1921.

Spain won the game 2-1 in December of that year and won 17 of the overall 34 games.

Portugal won only six victories against its neighbors, the last time in a friendly match.

Six of the following seven games ended with a draw.

Who did Spain defeat in the 2023 final?

Spain - Finalist defeated in the 2021 match - defeated Croatia 5-4 after a stormless draw in Rotterdam, Netherlands in June 2023.

In the 2021 final, the Spaniards were defeated 2-1 by France, facing them in their second semi-finals on Thursday. Their victory in 2023 ended the 11-year silverware.

Who did Portugal defeat in the first final?

Portugal beat Netherlands 1-0 in the 2019 final.

The game itself was played on the native land of Porto's Porto's Estadio do Dragao, who scored the only goal of the game in the 60th minute.

Possible Portuguese and Spanish lineups:

Potential Portugal XI: Diogo Costa; Joao Neves, Ruben Dias, Inacio, Mendes; Ruben Neves, Bernardo Silva; Trincao, Fernandes, Neto; Ronaldo

Potential Spanish XI: Simon; Porro, Huijsen, Le Normand, Cucurella; Zubimeni, Merino, Pedri; Yamal, N Williams, Oyarzabal