Cristiano Ronaldo’s 3-word message after helping Portugal reach 2025 UEFA Nations League final with game-winning goal vs Germany

On Wednesday, Portugal and Germany delivered a thrilling match in Munich that ended in a 2-1 victory and a place in the 2025 UEFA Nations League final for Roberto Martinez’s team. Cristiano Ronaldo played a key role, scoring the second goal, and after the match, he shared a message on social media.

“Em frente, Portugal!! (Let’s go, Portugal!!)” wrote Cristiano on his official Instagram and X accounts just minutes after the final whistle confirmed the team’s place in the European final, which will be played Sunday afternoon against either France or Spain.

Alongside the brief message, the 40-year-old forward posted photos from the match, including shots of him celebrating his goal, embracing teammates, and several members of the squad rejoicing after the victory over Germany.

Within minutes, Ronaldo’s fans flooded the post with supportive comments and congratulations, with many calling him the GOAT (greatest of all time). On Instagram, where CR7 has 654 million followers, the post reached 1.5 million likes in under 30 minutes. On X, where he has 115.2 million followers, the post quickly surpassed 90,000 likes.

The losing streak Cristiano Ronaldo just ended

Heading into Wednesday’s UEFA Nations League match, Cristiano Ronaldo had lost all five of his previous appearances against Germany with Portugal over the course of his professional career—adding an extra layer of challenge to this clash, especially if he hoped to break that streak and help his team advance.

CR7 had suffered three defeats to Germany in the European Championship: 2-3 in the quarterfinals in 2008, 0-1 in the group stage in 2012, and 2-4 in the opening round in 2021. Things hadn’t gone any better at the World Cup: a 3-1 loss in the 2006 third-place match, and a heavy 4-0 defeat in Portugal’s opener at Brazil 2014.

Ronaldo aims for second Nations League title

Since making his debut for Portugal in 2003, Cristiano Ronaldo has become the most important player in the national team’s history. His individual records and on-field performances have been key to that legacy—but so has his leadership. That combination has helped Portugal win the only two major titles in its history.

After capturing the UEFA Euro 2016 title with a win over France in the final, Portugal went on to claim the trophy in the inaugural edition of the UEFA Nations League. That came in the 2018–19 season, when they defeated the Netherlands in the final at Estadio do Dragao. Now, Cristiano Ronaldo will have the chance to lead his country to another championship—this time against France or Spain in Munich.