Denmark's national team secured a convincing 4-1 victory over Portugal in a UEFA Nations League match held on November 14, 2026, at the Estádio Municipal de Braga. This was Portugal's first game since Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international soccer. Before the match, Portuguese players wore jerseys with Ronaldo's name and number seven during the national anthem, and fans displayed banners thanking him for his contributions to the national team.
The match got off to a dramatic start, with Denmark taking the lead in the final minutes of the first half through a penalty kick by captain Pierre-Emile Højbjerg. The goal was awarded after a VAR review found the ball had hit Rúben Dias's hand. Denmark extended their lead just five minutes into the second half, with Rasmus Højlund scoring a stunning volleyed goal from a cross on the right side.
Højlund continued to trouble Portugal's defense, scoring his second goal of the match in the 57th minute to put Denmark up 3-0. Joachim Andersen sealed the win for Denmark with a well-taken header in the 75th minute, following a free kick by Mathias Jensen. Portugal's consolation goal came in the third minute of stoppage time through Bernardo Silva, but it was too little, too late.
In a post-match interview, Portugal's midfielder João Palhinha attributed the loss to bad luck and mistakes that made it easy for Denmark to win. The result has significant implications for the group standings, with Portugal still leading Group A4 with 12 points, followed by Denmark with nine points.
In another match in the same group, Norway secured a 3-1 win over Wales in Oslo. Antonio Nusa and Andreas Schjelderup scored two goals, while David Brooks scored a late consolation goal for Wales. Erling Haaland sealed the win for Norway with a penalty kick in the 88th minute.
The current group standings have Portugal at the top with 12 points, Denmark second with nine points, Norway third with six points, and Wales at the bottom with three points. The final matches in the group stage are set to take place on Tuesday, with Wales hosting Portugal and Denmark welcoming Norway.
The upcoming matches will determine the final standings and which teams will advance to the next stage of the competition. Denmark's win over Portugal has boosted their chances of progressing, while Portugal will look to bounce back and secure a win against Wales to maintain their lead in the group.
Key points
- Denmark's Rasmus Højlund scored two goals in the match against Portugal.
- Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international soccer before the match.
- The win moved Denmark to second place in Group A4 with nine points.
