Denmark defeats Portugal 4-1 in first Nations League match after Ronaldo retirement

Denmark defeated Portugal 4-1 at the Estádio Municipal de Braga on Saturday, November 14, 2026, in their first Nations League match following the retirement of Cristiano Ronaldo from international football. The result represents the first loss for manager Jorge Jesus in the Nations League and stands as the worst home defeat for Portugal in official matches. This defeat also ended a streak of 14 consecutive official home matches that Portugal went without losing.

Denmark scoring performance

Denmark dominated the match through clinical finishing from several players. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg opened the scoring for Denmark with a penalty in the 43rd minute to make the score 0-1. Shortly after the halftime interval, Rasmus Hojlund scored two goals in quick succession during the 50th and 57th minutes to extend the lead. Joachim Andersen added a fourth goal for Denmark in the 75th minute. Portugal managed a single goal in the 90+3 minute through Bernardo Silva, but the late strike was insufficient to change the outcome of the game.

The match was officiated by referee Rade Obrenovic from Slovenia. Denmark was led by manager Brian Riemer during the fixture. While the loss marks a significant setback for the Portuguese squad, the team has already qualified for the Nations League quarter-finals. Portugal currently remains at the top of Group A4 with 12 points, while Denmark holds second place in Group A4 with 9 points. Norway follows in third place with 6 points, and Wales sits in fourth place with 3 points.

Group A4 standings and next match

The final standings in Group A4 will be determined by the remaining fixtures in the group stage. Portugal's group leadership depends on their result in the final match against Wales or the result of Denmark's match against Norway. Portugal is scheduled to play Wales in Cardiff on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, for their final group stage match.

Following the match, manager Jorge Jesus commented on the transition of the squad. Jorge Jesus praised the idea of honoring Cristiano Ronaldo, calling it brilliant and noting his importance to new players. The match took place during a period of significant transition for the Portuguese national team, which is the current holder of the Nations League trophy. The squad featured 28 players called up by Jorge Jesus for this international fixture.

Glossary

• Estádio Municipal de Braga — The Estádio Municipal de Braga is a stadium where Sporting Clube de Braga plays its home football matches. It was inaugurated in 2003 and has a capacity of 30,286 seats.
• Nations League — The Nations League is a new competition created by UEFA. It is an international football competition involving various national teams.
• Group A4 — Group A4 is a group within the UEFA Nations League C. It consists of teams such as Portugal, Denmark, Norway, and Wales.