Portugal’s era after Cristiano Ronaldo starts with 1-4 thrashing: 5 facts from their heaviest competitive home defeat
Portugal‘s first match since Cristiano Ronaldo‘s international retirement announcement ended in a 1-4 UEFA Nations League defeat by Denmark at the Estádio Municipal de Braga on Saturday, 14 November. On 5 November, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) confirmed Ronaldo’s farewell after 234 caps and 146 goals. Here are five facts about Portugal‘s heaviest competitive home defeat and the start of life after Ronaldo.
1. The heaviest official home defeat
The 1-4 result stands as Portugal’s heaviest home defeat in a competitive game. A heavier home defeat, 10-0 against England in 1947, came in a friendly. Portugal had not conceded four goals in an official match since losing 2-4 to Germany at Euro 2020 on 19 June 2021. It was their heaviest defeat in eight years, the last three-goal loss being a 0-3 friendly against the Netherlands in Geneva on 26 March 2018.
2. A tribute in the seventh minute
The starting players and their young escorts walked out in shirts that included the number 7 dedicated to Ronaldo. Supporters formed a mosaic completed by a giant banner reading “Obrigado, Capitão!” (“Thank you, Captain!”). The celebration continued in the seventh minute when the same message appeared on the giant screens and the stadium fascia, to a large round of applause. Applause followed, then chants of “Cristiano Ronaldo”, while some Danish supporters whistled.
3. Carlos Forbs wore the No. 7 shirt
Club Brugge winger Carlos Forbs wore Portugal’s No. 7 that night. The assignment looked provisional because teams must use the numbers 1 to 23, and Rafael Leao, who is out injured, was expected to inherit the shirt permanently. The match sheet listed Forbs as No. 7, and Jesus sent him on in the 64th minute. No permanent successor to the number has been named.
4. Rasmus Hoejlund scored twice as Denmark went 4-0 up
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 43rd minute after a handball by Rúben Dias. Rasmus Hoejlund scored in the 50th and 57th minutes, and Joachim Andersen made it 4-0 in the 75th. Bernardo Silva pulled one back in the third minute of stoppage time.
5. The first defeat under Jorge Jesus, but Portugal are still through
The loss was Portugal’s first under Jorge Jesus, and it came after four straight wins in the group. Those victories had already secured Portugal a place in the Nations League quarter-finals, so the result in Braga did not knock them out. First place in Group A4 is still to be decided. Portugal play Wales in Cardiff on Tuesday, 17 November, in their final group match.
