Key events
Preamble
If you can’t wait for the Club World Cup and Euro 2025 to fill your days, there’s another major tournament finale squeezed into football’s almost non-existent summer break. The men’s Nations League finals kick off in Germany, with the hosts seeking a trophy to somewhat atone for falling short at last year’s home Euros. They face Portugal in the semi-final in Munich, with France and Spain contesting the other semi in Stuttgart.
It’s been an exciting run to the final four for both these teams; in the new two-legged quarter-finals, Germany squeezed past Italy 5-4 on aggregate, while Portugal were minutes from defeat to Denmark before winning 5-3 on aggregate in extra time. This is Germany’s first run to the final four; Portugal won the first finals back in 2019. Still, Julian Nagelsmann’s side start as favourites at the Allianz Arena tonight.
Liverpool fans may be hoping to get a glimpse of Florian Wirtz in action tonight, with the hosts likely to field a strong line-up despite injuries to Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz and others. The Portugal coach, Roberto Martínez, must decide whether to call on PSG heroes Vitinha, Nuno Mendes and João Neves, who lit up this very stadium four night ago. And will he start Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, up front? Readers, he probably will.
Kick-off is at 8pm BST; team news and buildup to come.
