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Portugal edge Denmark in Ronaldo's absence

Portugal edge Denmark in Ronaldo's absence

Published on: Oct 2, 2026, 02:21:53 IST
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Portugal put the controversy surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to one side as they edged Denmark 4-2 in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday.

Portugal edge Denmark in Ronaldo's absence
Portugal edge Denmark in Ronaldo's absence

Joao Felix made the win safe late in the second half after the hosts had twice fought back to level.

With the pre-match build-up dominated by five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo's sudden departure from the team's training camp on Wednesday, coach Jorge Jesus said before kick-off that he just wanted his side "to focus on the match".

Deep Dive

What led to Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from the Portugal national team camp?

Ronaldo left the camp following a conversation with the Portuguese Football Federation president after coach Jorge Jesus announced he wouldn't start in the match against Denmark.

Why is there speculation about Cristiano Ronaldo's retirement from international football?

Rumors about Ronaldo's retirement arise because some reports suggest his departure from the camp is irreversible, implying that his last game for Portugal may have been against Wales.

How did Portugal perform in the UEFA Nations League match against Denmark despite Ronaldo's absence?

Portugal won the match 4-2 against Denmark, with Joao Cancelo and Goncalo Ramos scoring, and Joao Felix netting the last goal late in the game.
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His team showed no signs of being distracted by the furore caused by the 41-year-old's walk-out after Jesus announced Ronaldo would not start the match against Denmark.

Portugal's record goalscorer had already spent all of Sunday's 2-1 Nations League win in Norway on the bench, having captained the side in the 1-0 home victory over Wales last Thursday.

"Following the national team coach's press conference, and after having a conversation with the Portuguese Football Federation president, I decided to leave the national team's training camp," Ronaldo wrote on Instagram on Wednesday.

Jesus, himself, said Thursday: "After , we'll definitely have time to talk about" the situation.

On the pitch, Joao Cancelo opened the scoring for Portugal inside 13 minutes, before Mikkel Damsgaard curled in a leveller 10 minutes later.

Goncalo Ramos repaid Jesus's faith in starting him again up front by restoring his country's lead two minutes later with a cute near-post finish.

Rasmus Hojlund equalised for Denmark early in the second period, but Paris Saint-Germain lynchpin Vitinha nodded the visitors back in front in the 57th minute.

Substitute Felix then tucked home at the end of a swift counter-attack with three minutes remaining to give new boss Jesus a third win from his first three matches.

bur-nf/pb

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

 
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Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Durand Cup Final Live. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.
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