A nightmarish start to the post-Ronaldo era for Portugal, as Denmark crushed them 4-0

The post-Cristiano Ronaldo era got off to the worst possible start for Portugal, as the team suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat to Denmark in Braga, in their first match without their iconic captain.

The Danes came out strong and managed to take the lead in the 43rd minute, when Pierre-Emile Højbjerg scored from the penalty spot to make it 0-1. Things got even worse for the home team at the start of the second half. In the 50th minute, Rasmus Hoilund, following an assist from Mikkel Damsgaard, doubled his team’s lead, and seven minutes later, the same player, this time set up by Hojbjerg, made it 0-3.

The nightmare night for Portugal continued, as in the 75th minute, Joachim Andersen found the back of the net to make it 0-4, turning the Scandinavians’ victory into a triumph. Thus, Portugal’s first match in the post-Ronaldo era turned into a real nightmare, with Denmark securing an overwhelming victory in Braga. All the Portuguese could manage was to pull one back in stoppage time through Bernardo Silva.

The heavy defeat does not affect Portugal’s position at the top of Group 4, where they remain with 12 points, having already secured their spot in the quarterfinals. However, with this victory, Denmark reached 9 points and moved up to second place, narrowing the gap to the top to three points. Meanwhile, Norway sits in third place with 6 points, while Wales remains in last place with just 3 points.

Portugal came together to honor Cristiano

Cristiano Ronaldo may no longer be on Portugal’s roster, but his presence remains alive in every corner of the country. His compatriots made sure to demonstrate this during the match against Denmark in Braga, staging a special celebration in honor of the legendary captain, in the first match following his retirement from the national team.

The evening was dedicated to CR7, with the Portuguese players taking the field all wearing jerseys bearing his beloved No. 7. At the same time, a large banner reading “Obrigado Capitão” (Thank you, Captain) stood out in the stands, in a symbolic gesture of gratitude for all he has given to his country.

The most powerful moment, however, came in the 7th minute of the match. The fans in the stands joined together as one, chanting Cristiano Ronaldo’s name in unison, in an emotional tribute.

A farewell that didn’t feel like an ending, but rather a heartfelt “thank you” to a soccer player who became so much more than just a captain for Portugal.

7⃣ Portugal fans celebrate Cristiano Ronaldo on minute 7. @DiogoEsteves91 https://t.co/o4yQxSWwi0

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 14, 2026

Historic Jokers, Yaremchuk in the Starting Lineup

In League B action, Sweden overcame Bosnia’s resistance 3-2 in a five-goal thriller. The star of the show was Viktor Jökers, who found the back of the net twice and has now scored in eight consecutive Nations League matches for his national team! Sweden now has 13 points and remains at the top of Group 4, with Bosnia trailing in second place with 8 points.

In Bucharest, Romania defeated Poland 2-1. The hosts opened the scoring in the 68th minute with a goal by Cicaldau, and four minutes later, Man made it 2-0. Poland pulled one back in the 83rd minute through Mazurek, but was unable to avoid defeat. Despite the victory, Romania remained in last place in Group 4 with 3 points, while Poland sits in third with 4.

Northern Ireland also celebrated an important victory, defeating Ukraine 1-0 in Belfast. Devlin scored the game-winning goal in the 68th minute, allowing the hosts to maintain their lead in Group 2 with 11 points. For Ukraine, Olympiacos’ Roman Yaremchuk started the match and played until the 72nd minute, when he was substituted.

Finally, Austria defeated Ireland 1-0, thanks to a goal by Saša Kalajić in the 78th minute. With this result, Austria reached 11 points and remained in first place in Group 3, while Ireland remained on 5 points and in third place.

Photo source: AP