Ronaldo Scores Brace in Portugal’s Thrilling Draw with SpainRonaldo Scores Brace in Portugal’s Thrilling Draw with Spain In a pulsating encounter at the Estadio Benito Villamarín in Seville, Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Portugal to a thrilling 2-2 draw against arch-rivals Spain. The Real Madrid superstar opened the scoring for Portugal in the 4th minute, latching onto a through ball from Bruno Fernandes and coolly slotting home past David de Gea. Spain fought back tenaciously, and in the 25th minute, Álvaro Morata leveled the score with a clinical finish from close range. Ronaldo restored Portugal’s lead just before halftime, converting a penalty after Gerard Piqué was adjudged to have fouled Joao Felix in the area. However, Spain once again showed their resilience, and in the 88th minute, substitute Rodrigo struck a stunning left-footed volley to earn his side an equalizer. The result keeps both teams at the top of Group A in League A of the UEFA Nations League, with Spain on seven points and Portugal on four. Ronaldo’s brace brings his international tally to a remarkable 118 goals, surpassing Ferenc Puskás as the joint-top scorer in men’s international football. Portugal manager Fernando Santos praised Ronaldo’s performance, saying, “He showed once again why he is one of the greatest players of all time. His goals were crucial for us today.” Spain coach Luis Enrique remained upbeat despite his team’s failure to secure a victory. “We played well and created many chances,” he said. “We showed character to come back twice, but we are disappointed not to have won.” The draw sets up an intriguing rematch between the two sides in Porto on June 12th, which could potentially decide the group winner.
