Cristiano Ronaldo inspires historic Portugal win over Germany

Portugal ended a 25-year drought against Germany on Wednesday night, defeating the hosts 2-1 in a dramatic UEFA Nations League semifinal clash. And at the heart of it all stood the ever-determined Cristiano Ronaldo, now 40 years old, who continues to redefine the limits of longevity and greatness in football.

Ronaldo’s 137th international goal came on his record-extending 220th appearance for Portugal — making him not only the oldest player ever to score against Germany, but also the driving force behind a momentous comeback win that rewrote a chapter of football history.

The match in Munich marked Portugal’s first victory on German soil since October 1985, when a World Cup qualifier ended 1-0 in Stuttgart — six months after Ronaldo was born in Madeira. Since then, Portugal had repeatedly fallen short against the Germans, most notably in Euro 2008 and the 2014 World Cup. For Ronaldo, it was a personal milestone too, having lost all five of his previous matches against Germany.

“We saw today what it means to him,” said Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez after the game. “Cristiano is an example — he wants to improve constantly. He gets up in the morning and whatever happened yesterday doesn’t affect his hunger. It’s contagious. He just sees every new day as an opportunity to become better.”

Germany took the lead early in the second half when young sensation Florian Wirtz met a pinpoint cross with a firm header past Diogo Costa. But Martinez’s substitutions turned the tide.

Francisco Conceicao, son of former Portugal international Sergio Conceicao — the last man to score a hat trick against Germany for Portugal in Euro 2000 — leveled the score in the 63rd minute with a stunning long-range strike, just five minutes after coming on. Then, in the 68th, Nuno Mendes found Ronaldo in the box for a routine finish, completing the comeback.

Vitinha, fresh from helping PSG win the Champions League on the same pitch just four days earlier, brought composure and vision to the midfield. His entrance, along with Conceicao’s energy, helped Portugal dominate the closing stages of the match.

Germany’s goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen had to be at his very best to keep the scoreline respectable as Portugal surged forward, playing with confidence and control.

Portugal now awaits the winner of Thursday's semifinal between France and Spain, while Germany will face the loser in the third-place playoff.

As for Ronaldo, he’s shown once again that age is merely a number. He may not rise each morning chasing records, as Martinez noted, but with every match he plays, he inevitably sets new ones. And in doing so, he continues to inspire not just a generation, but an entire sport.