Cristiano Ronaldo Becomes Oldest Scorer in Major International Final

Cristiano Ronaldo made history at age 40 years, 123 days by scoring in the UEFA Nations League final against Spain, breaking a 57-year-old record. He netted eight goals in the tournament, the most in a single League A edition, and became the first captain to lift the Nations League trophy twice for Portugal.

For the second time in history, Portugal lifted the UEFA Nations League title, defeating Spain in a thrilling final at the Allianz Arena in Munich on June 8, 2025. Cristiano Ronaldo led from the front, scoring a crucial equalizer in the 61st minute to level the score at 2-2 before Portugal triumphed in a dramatic penalty shootout.

With this goal, the 40-year-old Ronaldo became the oldest player in history to score in a major international final, surpassing Pierre Kalala Mukendi’s 1968 record at age 37. Ronaldo also became the oldest player to score in a Nations League match, breaking Karim Benzema’s previous record. His tally of eight goals in the 2024–25 tournament is the highest ever in the top division (League A) of the competition. Including his semi-final winner against Germany, Ronaldo proved instrumental throughout the campaign.

Additionally, Ronaldo made history as the first player aged 40 or above to score in the Nations League and the only captain to lift the trophy twice. Portugal, now two-time champions, had previously won the inaugural edition in 2019. The legendary forward continues to rewrite records, showing no signs of slowing down even at 40 years and 123 days old.