Portugal walked out in Ronaldo’s No 7, and Denmark beat them 4-1 in their first game without him
Rasmus Højlund scored twice in Braga. Portugal stay top of their Nations League group, and Denmark need a draw against Norway on Tuesday to join them in the quarter-finals.
Nov 15, 2026
Portugal’s players walked out in Braga on Saturday night, 14 November, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s name and number seven on their backs. Fans held up a banner that read “Thank you captain”, and the stadium applauded when the clock reached seven minutes. Then Denmark beat them 4-1.
It was Portugal’s first game since Ronaldo announced his international retirement on 5 November, and their first defeat of this Nations League campaign. They had won all four of their group games before it.
Højlund scored twice in 12 minutes after the break
Denmark started better, and they went ahead two minutes before half-time. Rúben Dias blocked a Rasmus Højlund header with his hands, and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg scored the penalty.
The second half went wrong for Portugal almost at once. Højlund volleyed in Mikkel Damsgaard’s pass a few minutes after the restart, and in the 57th minute he dribbled past Renato Veiga and put his shot in the bottom corner. Joachim Andersen headed the fourth in the 75th. Bernardo Silva scored with the last kick of the game.
Gonçalo Ramos, who led the line, did not score. That stings, because Ramos was the man who made the Ronaldo row look like a non-story in October. He set up one and scored one in the 4-2 win in Copenhagen, then got the winner against Norway in Porto three days later.
Denmark need a point against Norway
Portugal are already in the quarter-finals, and they stay top of Group A4 on 12 points. Denmark have 9, Norway 6 after beating Wales 3-1 in Oslo on the same night, and Wales 3. Denmark host Norway in Copenhagen on Tuesday, 17 November, and a draw will be enough to take them through. Portugal finish in Cardiff that evening.
Jesus fell out with the most famous player in his country’s history in September, after leaving Ronaldo out of a Nations League game, and until Saturday the results were on his side. I don’t think one bad night in Braga proves Portugal need Ronaldo back, and he is not coming back anyway. But losing 4-1 at home in the first game after the goodbye will be read in Portugal in only one way, fair or not.