Portugal suffered a historic 4:1 home defeat against Denmark in Braga on Saturday. This was the largest home loss in official competition in the national team’s history.
Playing their first fixture since Cristiano Ronaldo retired from international football, the squad entered the UEFA Nations League match with a four-game winning streak. They crumbled after the break as Denmark seized control.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg opened the scoring from a 43rd-minute penalty awarded after Rúben Dias handled the ball in the box.
Denmark extended the lead to 2:0 in the 50th minute. Joachim Andersen added a fourth in the 75th minute. Bernardo Silva scored a goal in stoppage time after Carlos Forbs sent a cross into the box that was initially saved by Mads Hermansen.
The fixture brought immediate scrutiny regarding the absence of Ronaldo. He retired following a dispute with Jorge Jesus.
🚨 The whole stadium applauding and cheering for the whole seventh minute as a tribute Cristiano Ronaldo. 👏🏻🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/Jlh48JNiQ2
Before kickoff, Portugal’s starting XI wore number 7 shirts as a tribute. The planned seventh-minute applause did not materialize as play continued.
When asked about missing the forward after the match, Jorge Jesus dismissed the inquiry.
“What is missing? He is no longer in the national team, so what is missing?” said Jorge Jesus, adding that “the only thing missing is his presence here to sit next to me.”
Portugal remains at the top of League A Group 4 despite the setback. They will travel to face Wales on November 18 needing a positive result to secure first place in the group ahead of second-placed Denmark.
The match at the Municipal Stadium in Braga opened the post-Cristiano Ronaldo era for the squad. Portugal conceded four goals at home for the first time since a 4:4 draw against Cyprus on September 3, 2010.
🇵🇹✨ Every Portugal player wore the number 7 shirt to honour Cristiano Ronaldo. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/YGNY1cr80x
It also represented the first time the national team shipped four goals in any fixture since a 4:2 loss to Germany at Euro 2020 in June 2021. A Bola ran the front-page headline "What happened to you, Portugal?" while describing the disaster at the venue.
Public reaction focused on the 41-year-old forward as fans and commentators debated the team. Ronaldo made his senior debut for Portugal in August 2003 against Kazakhstan. He set records with 146 goals in 234 appearances and led the country to victory at Euro 2016.
His international career concluded after an argument with Jorge Jesus over squad selection for a September UEFA Nations League fixture. That brought a 30-day suspension from the Portuguese Football Federation and triggered his retirement.
Jorge Jesus said the team lacked the defensive stability shown in prior matches and failed to contain the Nordic visitors. The manager defended the pre-match tribute and said the gesture was fully deserved given the player’s 23-year contribution to Portugal.
Bruno Fernandes inherited the captain’s armband. He said that the collective objective remains unchanged regarding finishing at the summit of the group.
Denmark secured qualification for the quarterfinals alongside Portugal.