Portugal beat Denmark 4-2 on Thursday, October 1, in a thrilling UEFA Nations League match, maintaining their perfect start to the competition despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence. João Cancelo, Gonçalo Ramos, Vitinha and João Félix scored for Portugal, while Mikkel Damsgaard and Rasmus Højlund replied for Denmark.
Ronaldo Absence Overshadowed By Portugal Win
The Portugal vs Denmark result came just hours after Ronaldo’s unexpected departure from the national team camp became the biggest talking point around the team. The 41-year-old left after discussions with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença, following a dispute that emerged after coach Jorge Jesus left him on the bench against Norway.
Jesus and Proença reportedly tried to convince Ronaldo to remain with the squad, but the Portugal captain eventually travelled to Madrid on a private flight. Ronaldo has said he will explain his reasons for leaving at a later date, while Portugal continued preparations without their record goalscorer.
Gonçalo Ramos Leads The Response
Portugal’s performance showed that Jesus has other attacking options available to him. Gonçalo Ramos was involved in both of Portugal’s first-half goals, providing the assist for Cancelo’s opener before scoring himself to restore Portugal’s lead after Damsgaard had equalised.
Vitinha then put Portugal ahead again after Højlund had levelled the game in the second half. João Félix completed the scoring late on, giving Portugal their third consecutive victory in Group A4 and extending their advantage at the top of the group.
Jorge Jesus Gets Another Test
The victory gives Jesus another result as he begins his Portugal tenure and also adds an interesting dimension to the Ronaldo situation. Portugal had already beaten Wales and Norway before overcoming Denmark, meaning the team has now won all three of its Nations League matches under the new coach.
That does not resolve questions about Ronaldo’s future with the national team, but it gives Jesus some breathing room as he prepares for another important Group A4 fixture. Portugal will host Norway on Sunday, October 4, while Denmark faces Wales on the same day.
For now, the biggest takeaway is that Portugal’s Nations League campaign has continued smoothly despite the disruption surrounding its most famous player. The next test will show whether Jesus can maintain that momentum while the Ronaldo situation remains unresolved.
