Portugal‘s post-Ronaldo era began in disastrous fashion on Saturday as Denmark inflicted a humiliating 4-1 defeat on the European side in the UEFA Nations League, handing them their heaviest-ever home loss in a competitive international fixture.
The result stunned supporters in Braga, who had expected a celebratory atmosphere after Portugal had already secured qualification for the quarter-finals. Instead, the home crowd witnessed a disjointed performance, defensive errors and an emphatic Danish victory that ended Portugal’s unbeaten run in the competition.
The match was particularly significant because it was Portugal’s first outing since Cristiano Ronaldo announced his international retirement last week. The 41-year-old forward had represented his country for more than two decades and remains its most celebrated footballer.
Before kick-off, Portugal’s players paid tribute to their former captain by wearing shirts bearing his familiar number seven. However, the emotional gesture did little to inspire the team, who struggled to impose themselves against a well-organised Danish side.
Denmark take control with first-half penalty
Portugal began the encounter hoping to maintain their strong Nations League campaign, but Denmark gradually established control and exposed weaknesses in the hosts’ defence.
The breakthrough arrived before half-time when Denmark captain Pierre-Emile Højbjerg converted a penalty after Portugal defender Rúben Dias was penalised for handball.
The goal gave the visitors a deserved advantage and placed pressure on Portugal to produce a much-improved performance after the interval.
However, the hosts returned from the dressing room without finding the necessary response. Denmark, meanwhile, continued to exploit the spaces in Portugal’s defensive structure.
Rasmus Højlund doubled the visitors’ lead in the 50th minute, finishing a well-constructed team move with a volley that left goalkeeper Diogo Costa with little opportunity to prevent the goal.
Seven minutes later, the Danish striker struck again. He evaded Dias near the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a powerful shot beyond Costa to make it 3-0.
The two goals left Portugal facing an embarrassing defeat, with their supporters becoming increasingly frustrated by the team’s inability to respond.
Andersen completes Denmark’s impressive victory
Portugal’s performance deteriorated further as the match progressed. The home supporters began whistling at their players after another disappointing passage of play, while Denmark remained confident and dangerous going forward.
The visitors added a fourth goal in the 75th minute through Joachim Andersen, who rose to head the ball into the net.
The goal intensified the frustration inside the stadium, with sections of the crowd chanting Ronaldo’s name as Portugal struggled to contain their opponents.
Bernardo Silva eventually scored a stoppage-time consolation goal, preventing the hosts from suffering an even heavier defeat.
His late effort, however, could not change the outcome of a match that had already become a landmark result in Portugal’s football history. The Group A4 encounter ended with a VAR check following the goal.
According to ESPN’s report, Portugal had previously suffered only four home defeats by at least two goals in competitive internationals, with the most recent occurring against Italy in a 1993 World Cup qualifier.
The 4-1 defeat against Denmark therefore represented an unprecedented setback for the national team in a competitive home fixture.
Jorge Jesus dismisses Ronaldo’s absence as an excuse
The defeat inevitably raised questions about the influence of Ronaldo’s departure, particularly because the team had struggled so badly in their first match following his retirement.
Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus, however, rejected suggestions that the result was caused by the absence of the former captain.
When asked whether the team had missed Ronaldo, Jesus responded dismissively.
“But what’s there to miss? If he’s no longer available for the national team, what exactly are we missing? Only if it’s someone to keep me company — he doesn’t play anymore, he’s not here, he’s already made up his mind about his situation.”
His comments contrasted with the feelings of supporters who had repeatedly chanted Ronaldo’s name as the team fell further behind.
Jesus later acknowledged that fans would naturally miss a player who had delivered remarkable achievements for Portugal over 23 years.
“It’s got nothing to do with one thing or the other,” he said.
“It’s normal, people miss him and won’t forget what Cris achieved over 23 years with the national team — there’s no getting round that.”
The coach also admitted that the scale of the defeat was unexpected and that neither the players nor the supporters could be satisfied with the performance.
“And so, the fact that some fans left [the stadium] while the team were losing 4-1 — nobody’s satisfied, nobody’s happy. We were not prepared for the possibility of losing here, let alone by 4-1.”
Ronaldo’s international legacy leaves a major gap
Ronaldo’s departure represents a significant moment for Portuguese football. He is the country’s all-time leading goalscorer and appearance holder, having registered 146 goals in 234 international matches.
His influence extended beyond his scoring record, as he remained one of the central figures in Portugal’s national team for more than 20 years.
His last appearance came on September 24, when Portugal defeated Wales 1-0 at home in the Nations League.
The circumstances surrounding his exit had already attracted attention before Saturday’s match. Jesus left the forward on the bench for the subsequent fixture and indicated that he did not intend to start him in the next game.
Ronaldo subsequently decided to leave the national team’s training camp.
Jesus later clarified that the striker would be welcome to return and that the decision rested with the player. Ronaldo eventually announced his retirement from international football.
The post-Ronaldo era now presents Portugal with the challenge of developing a team identity that does not depend on the presence of its most influential modern footballer.
Portugal must respond after historic setback
Although Ronaldo’s absence dominated the build-up to the match, the defeat also exposed problems that cannot simply be attributed to the departure of one player.
Portugal conceded four goals, struggled to contain Denmark’s attacking movements and failed to produce a convincing response after falling behind.
The defensive mistakes, particularly the inability to deal with Højlund’s movement and Denmark’s attacking combinations, will require serious attention from Jesus.
The result is also a warning that qualification for the quarter-finals does not guarantee success against well-prepared opposition.
Portugal must now rebuild confidence and address the weaknesses exposed in Braga before the next stage of the competition.
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For Denmark, the victory represents an emphatic statement of their quality and ability to punish defensive lapses against a highly regarded opponent.
For Portugal, however, the night will be remembered for the scale of the defeat, the supporters’ chants for Ronaldo and the difficult beginning to life without their legendary former captain.
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