The quarter final stage of the Nations League 2024-25 season has thrown some unmissable clashes set to take place in March 2025. After an action-filled group stage in League A, the top two teams in each group progressed to the knockout stage as per the new format installed this season. Four group winners Portugal, France, Germany and defending champions Spain with runners-up Croatia, Italy, Netherlands and Denmark make the calvary. The games will be played over two legs with the group winners getting the advantage to play the second leg at home. The semifinals will be played in June 2025 with the final on the 8th of the same month. The host nation for the Finals is yet to be declared.
Nations League 2024-25 Quarterfinals
Netherlands vs Spain
The first quarterfinal draws memories of World Cup classic games as the inaugural edition's finalists, the Netherlands take on defending champions Spain. The 2010 World Cup final where Andreas Iniesta scored the iconic goal in extra-time to give La Roja the much-awaited trophy will inspire the current generation who are making strides to assert another dominance in international football. The clash in the next World Cup edition in 2014 where Robin Van Persie’s flying header with a stunning brace for Arjen Robben prompted a 5-1 demolition and perfect revenge for the Dutch is notable as well. However, the Netherlands will have to pull a rabbit out of the hat to stop this Spanish team who won the Euros impressively this summer after winning the Nations League last time carrying a 16-game unbeaten run. Ronald Koeman’s side will finally want to end their ailing for the trophy after reaching the final in 2019 and a fourth-place finish in the previous edition while Luis de la Fuente’s team wants to be the first side in history to defend the Nations League title in their third consecutive appearance. France or Croatia will be the victor's opponent in the semifinals.
Croatia vs France
In another World Cup final rematch in the Nations League quarterfinals, Croatia and France will face each other like they did in the showpiece in 2018 Russia. Les Bleus won that encounter to lift their second World Cup honour in a 4-2 thriller, something similar they will want to do here to win a second Nations League title. On the other hand, Croatia is eyeing another run to the final after losing to Spain in the previous edition. France beat Italy in the final group game to win the group with Croatia, despite a four-game winless run, managing to finish behind group winners Portugal to secure consecutive Finals appearance. This fixture has been frequent in the Nations League with this being their fifth meeting in the competition. Zlatko Dalic’s side broke their duck against the 2020-21 Nations League winners in the previous meeting at the opposition’s den. The Croats also managed to stop France from scoring for the first time but Didier Deschamps’s team have shown they can do without star forward Kylian Mbappe in the group stage so they will be a reputable force nonetheless.
Denmark vs Portugal
Making their debut in the Nations League Finals are Denmark who came out of a tough group containing Serbia, Switzerland and Spain although will face the challenge of inaugural winners Portugal in the quarterfinal. Both teams struggled in the Euros but the Dane had the worst campaign failing to win a single game and exiting from the quarterfinal stage with a not-so-inspiring Nations League campaign as well. On the other hand, Portugal responded to their disappointing summer tournament by winning their group without losing a game. The Selecao also leads this fixture with 11 wins to three, sharing points in the remaining two. This will be the first meeting between the sides since 2015 with Portugal winning the last three whereas Denmark’s previous victory came in 2011. This will be Cristiano Ronaldo's last journey to win a European trophy so the tournament bears speciality for Roberto Martinez’s team. For the Danish Dynamite, they will try to make an underdog story by claiming the first silverware in their history since 1995.
Italy vs Germany
The last quarterfinal will be a legacy-filled rivalry between Italy and Germany, the two most successful European sides. The pair has not won the Nations League title but Italy has been regular in the knockouts having finished third in the last two editions. Germany will debut in the Nations League finals after ending their miserable run in the competition under Julian Nagelsmann After an unsuccessful title defence at the Euros, the Azzurri turned back their form with a decent Nations League campaign and secured a top-two spot whereas Germany dominated their group ending at the top. Most recently, the two met in the 2022 Nations League group stage with Italy winning the group but not without a 5-2 thrashing by Die Mannschaft who finished third. The Azzurri have lost 10 times in this fixture but they carry the overall wins with 15. However, the Germans have stayed unbeaten in the last six meetings winning half of them. Hence, this clash is expected to match the expectations over two legs. The winners will face either Denmark or Portugal in the semifinals.
Semi-finals
Italy/Germany vs Denmark/Portugal
Netherlands/Spain vs Croatia/France
