Portugal's first match since Cristiano Ronaldo's international retirement ended in a crushing 4-1 home defeat by Denmark in the Nations League on Saturday. The match was played in Braga, where Ronaldo's teammates wore shirts bearing his name and number seven during the national anthem. Supporters also unfurled a banner reading "Obrigado, capi7ão" — "Thank you, captain" — alongside images of him lifting the European Championship and Nations League trophies.
Despite dominating much of the first half in pouring rain, Portugal fell behind shortly before halftime. Rasmus Hojlund had a header ruled out for a foul before another aerial effort struck Ruben Dias' hand, resulting in a penalty for Denmark. Captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg drove the penalty into the top-right corner shortly before halftime, giving Denmark the lead.
Hojlund doubled Denmark's advantage five minutes after the interval, slipping behind the defence to meet a cross from the right with a powerful volley. He scored again seven minutes later, cutting inside Renato Veiga on a counter-attack before firing a right-footed shot past Diogo Costa from the edge of the box. This put Denmark up 3-0, and Andersen completed the rout in the 75th minute with a towering header from inside the area.
In the other League A Group Four match, Norway beat Wales 3-1 in Oslo. Antonio Nusa and Andreas Schjelderup scored before Erling Haaland's late penalty sealed victory. Nusa broke the deadlock in the 59th minute with a half-volley from the edge of the area following a partially cleared corner. Schjelderup doubled the lead two minutes after coming off the bench, tapping into an empty net at the far post.
Wales had a late consolation goal through David Brooks, who chipped the advancing goalkeeper despite pressure from a defender. However, Norway secured the win in the 88th minute when Haaland converted a penalty after Connor Roberts fouled Schjelderup inside the area. This result leaves Portugal top of the group on 12 points, three ahead of Denmark, with Norway third on six and Wales bottom on three.
Portugal's midfielder Joao Palhinha expressed disappointment with the result, saying "practically everything went wrong for us. It's actually hard to find an explanation." He added that the team made it "far too easy" for their opponents but vowed that they would "bounce back and secure top spot in the group in Wales" on Tuesday.
The Nations League group stage will conclude on Tuesday, with Wales hosting Portugal and Denmark at home to Norway. The results will determine the final standings, with Portugal looking to secure top spot and Denmark aiming to close the gap. The matches will provide a chance for teams to reflect on their performances and make final adjustments before the next stage of the competition.
Key points
- Denmark's win marked a significant upset, with Portugal dominating much of the match but ultimately losing 4-1.
