UEFA Nations League: Portugal gear up for post-Cristiano Ronaldo chapter; France, Spain and England also in focus
The Portugal football team will begin their post-Cristiano Ronaldo era when they play their last two group-stage matches of the UEFA Nations League later this week.
Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football on 5 November, bringing an end to a 23-year international career.
He scored 146 goals from 234 appearances, and helped Portugal win the UEFA European Championship in 2016, as well as the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
Portugal have already qualified for the quarterfinals of the UEFA Nations League and currently top Group A4 with 12 points from four matches, ahead of second-placed Denmark (six points from four matches).
The Selecao will host Denmark in Braga on Saturday, before travelling to Cardiff to take on Wales in their last group-stage match on Tuesday.
Other top European teams in action
Several other top European teams will also be in action in the UEFA Nations League. Newly crowned Ballon d’Or winner Harry Kane will set an England record of 126 games if he plays when hosting Croatia on Thursday. England then play Spain on Sunday.
Spain will be without Lamine Yamal against Czechia on Thursday. Spain’s 42-game unbeaten run includes a 2-2 draw against Czechia in the 2025 Nations League.
No team has beaten Spain in 90 minutes or extra time since March 2024, when Colombia won a friendly 1-0 in London.
Mbappé and his France side face Italy in Milan on Thursday and host Turkiye three days later. Haaland and Norway first host Wales — a possible relegation decider on Saturday in Portugal’s group — and then visit Denmark on Tuesday.
France, Germany face crucial Nations League fixtures
France coach Zinedine Zidane had a happier start to international duty than his fellow Champions League winner Klopp, who is also still impressing in practices. Les Bleus will advance to the quarterfinals if they beat Italy at San Siro on Thursday.
France then host last-placed Turkey, which looks set for relegation, in Bordeaux where Zidane’s career took off in the mid-1990s. The financially struggling club now plays in the sixth tier.
In the fourth top-tier group, Jürgen Klopp’s Germany trail unbeaten Netherlands and Greece after winning just one of his first four games as coach. The final standings next week will send the winner and runner-up in all four groups to the Nations League quarterfinals in March. The final four mini-tournament is in June.
Germany will have no fans at the Belgrade stadium to face last-placed Serbia on Friday. UEFA punished the Serbian federation for fans’ offensive behaviour in the previous rounds, and only 5,000 accompanied children and youths can attend.
Germany then host the Xavi Hernandez-coached Dutch in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.
At the same time on Monday, fast-improving Greece with 18-year-old playmaker Konstantinos Karetsas could advance to the quarterfinals by beating Serbia in Volos.
Switzerland can seal a quick return to the top tier with just a draw at Slovenia on Friday, ahead of hosting Scotland on Monday. Northern Ireland top their second-tier group with no goals conceded in four games by goalkeeper Pierce Charles ahead of hosting Ukraine in Belfast on Saturday.
Viktor Gyökeres has scored in all four games so far and Sweden will be promoted to the top tier by beating visiting Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday.
In third-tier groups, Los Angeles FC forward Leo Walta has been a standout for Finland with four goals. Finland will take on Albania in an away game on Thursday before hosting San Marino on Sunday.
(With inputs from The Associated Press)
