What began as a tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo in Braga turned into Jorge Jesus’s first major setback as Portugal coach. After four straight wins, his side lost 4–1 at home to Denmark on matchday five of the UEFA Nations League.
Portugal’s players wore shirts bearing Ronaldo’s name and No. 7 during the national anthem. When Denmark scored their fourth goal, the crowd chanted the former captain’s name, prompting a reporter to ask Jesus whether he had missed him.
“How can I miss him when he’s left the national team? Maybe I miss him just for the company. He’s made his decision about his future,” Jesus said. He added that it was only natural for fans to miss Ronaldo after everything he had done for Portugal over 23 years.
“We didn’t defend well, and our back line struggled to stop their forwards,” Jesus said of the performance. He explained that Portugal were too slow to press the ball carrier, allowing Denmark to reach the penalty area more easily in the second half.
Jesus also took his share of the responsibility. “If the team can’t do what’s asked of them, that comes down to my instructions,” he said. Portugal had struggled to put what they had worked on in training into practice, particularly in defence.
Jesus also addressed João Félix’s role behind Gonçalo Ramos. “Our second striker couldn’t get between the lines, so we weren’t able to create an advantage through the middle,” he said. Denmark were able to control that area.
The defeat also changed Jesus’s plans for the next game. “We have to rely on the players who gave us confidence during those four wins,” he said. He had intended to give other players a chance against Wales had Portugal secured top spot in Braga.
The question about Ronaldo brought his rift with Jesus during the September international break back into focus. Ronaldo left the Portugal camp before the game against Denmark in Copenhagen after staying on the bench against Norway. He announced his international retirement on 5 November after 234 caps and 146 goals.
