A World Cup winner, European champion with Spain and Real Madrid, and expert penalty taker, Sergio Ramos had scored from his last 25 spot kicks.

On the night of his European men’s record-setting 177th international appearance on Saturday, he was given two chances from the spot to celebrate with a goal.

Ramos missed them both. Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer twice guessed right, and dived to his right, to save in the 57th and 80th minutes. Though the first was well struck, the second was a flat, slow flop of an attempted chip and kept Spain trailing by one goal.

Ramos was spared further embarrassment by substitute Gerard Moreno firing an 89th-minute leveller in a 1-1 draw in the Nations League match in Basel. Remo Freuler had given the lead to Switzerland.

Spain’s lapse in Switzerland let Germany take the lead in Group 4 of the Nations League top tier ahead of their decisive meeting on Tuesday in Seville. Germany won 3-1 against a Ukraine team that lost four players to positive tests for Covid-19 on Friday.

Though Ukraine took a surprise early lead, Leroy Sane restored parity and Timo Werner then scored twice.

France became the first team to advance to the Nations League Final Four next year, beating defending champions Portugal 1-0 in Lisbon.

The second-half goal was scored by midfielder N’Golo Kanté pouncing on a loose ball fumbled by Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio.