Spain’s loss to Portugal in the Nations League Final was more than just a result, it was a disappointment. It showcased poor tactical decisions, squad imbalance, and questionable decisions from the bench. Despite Spain’s golden generation being back to its best, this result was not what the fans expected. Spain was the most dominant side when they lifted the Euros in 2024, this result was far from what this team can produce.
Here are the main reasons why Spain lost to Portugal in the final.
Lamine Yamal’s Dip in Form
Lamine Yamal has been a revelation for Spain and Barcelona, often seen as the spark in the final third. We saw the youngster deliver an outstanding performance in the semi-final fixture against France, where he scored two goals after taking a challenge against Dembele.
However, in the final against Portugal, there is no hiding the fact Lamine didn’t turn up and his performance was subdued. Lamine couldn’t find his rhythm in this game, he avoided taking on, through balls and often preferred to pass the ball back. Many people praised Nuno Mendes for keeping the youngster quiet, but the reality was the whole Portugal team overloaded Lamine’s side so he couldn’t produce his magic.
This exposed Spain’s increasing over-reliance on the teenager, which is risky for any side. Spain couldn’t dominate the game without the youngster’s creativity in the final third.
The Rodri Factor
Arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world Spain missed Rodri. His calmness on the ball, short passing, and positional intelligence were missed which made Spain look out of structure. Without him, the Spanish midfield looked reliant on Pedri who got dispossessed multiple times.
Portugal exploited this with players like Bernardo Silva and Vitinha who found pockets of space behind Spain’s midfield line. Rodri was Spain’s captain during the Euros campaign and his leadership was key to their victory. Against Portugal, there was no proper on field guidance for the young squad.
Weakness at Right-Back
Spain started Oscar Mingueza at the right-back position for the final. Mingueza showcased significant defensive errors and was inconsistent with decision-making. De La Fuente wanted Lamine to assist Mingueza defensively. The first goal that came was Mingueza being out of the right-back position leaving his marker Nuno Mendes free who went on and scored. In the second goal, once again Nuno Mendes crossed the ball from Mingueza’s end.
Instead of substituting Mingueza, the coach chose to add external responsibilities to their main man. This lead Lamine to spend more of his time on the defensive end of the field, often playing safe passes.
Poor Substitutions and Tactical Mismanagement
I believe De La Fuente is a biased manager. Firstly let’s start with his decision of leaving Balde out of the squad. He was the most consistent Spanish left-back this season who would’ve complemented Nico on the left flank. Secondly leaving Eric Garcia who excelled out of position under Hansi Flick and proved his worth in big games.
Now in this game Spain’s right-back position was a clear weak link which Portugal constantly exploited, instead of subbing Mingueza out Lamine was forced off. Quality players like Cubarsi, Olmo, Fermin, and Gavi were not brought. Spain lacked intensity during the extra time and these players can boost any game.
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