Portugal will put their perfect UEFA Nations League record on the line on Thursday when they face Denmark at Parken Stadium. Jorge Jesus’ side travel to Copenhagen three points clear at the top of Group 4 after wins against Wales and Norway.
The Seleção know just how difficult the Danes are to beat on their home soil, losing 1-0 in Copenhagen in the Nations League quarter-finals last year.
Portugal come into the clash without Cristiano Ronaldo who was an unused substitute in the 2-1 win in Oslo. He has subsuquently left the squad which could be the closing chapter on his international career.
Form guide
Denmark fell 2-0 behind in Norway before goals to Mikkel Damsgaard and Rasmus Hojlund drew them level. They couldn’t stop Erling Haaland however, the striker scoring his second goal of the contest as the Danes went down 3-2 in Oslo.
Brian Riemer’s side returned to Copenhagen where registered a deserved 2-0 victory over Wales. They went ahead through an own goal before Gustav Isaksen scored to put the game to bed.
Portugal began their Nations League campaign in Lisbon where they beat Wales 1-0. João Félix put them in front but they were fortunate to hold on after Ronaldo spurned a golden opportunity to double the advantage.
Félix opened the scoring in Norway before Haaland squared it up after the break. Gonçalo Ramos punished a bad error from Orjan Nyland to restore the lead and could have easily made it 3-1, the Seleção holding on to go take top spot in the group.
Head-to-head record
Portugal have met Denmark in 14 competitive encounters, leading 9-3 alongside two draws.
They recently met in the 2025 Nations League quarter-finals, Portugal deservedly losing 1-0 in Copenhagen before leaving it late at Estádio José Alvalade.
Francisco Trincão scored in the 86th minute to take it to extra time where he found the net again, Gonçalo Ramos sealing the deal in the 115th minute as Portugal won 5-2 in Lisbon.
Squads and predicted lineups
Denmark
Patrick Dorgu has been released from Denmark's squad after suffering a muscle injury against Wales. Mohamed Daramy could start out wide but Victor Froholdt will be hoping for a recall.
Goalkeepers: Andreas Jungdal, Mads Hermansen, Filip Jörgensen
Defenders: Joachim Andersen, Oliver Provstgaard, Joakim Maehle, Rasmus Kristensen, Victor Bak Jensen, Victor Nelsson
Midfielders: Thomas Jorgensen, Victor Froholdt, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Nikolas Nartey, Mads Bidstrup, Morten Hjulmand, Mikkel Damsgaard
Forwards: Andreas Skov Olsen, Adam Daghim, Mohamed Daramy, Rasmus Hojlund, Kasper Hogh, Gustav Isaksen
Denmark (4-2-3-1): Filip Jörgensen; Rasmus Kristensen, Joachim Andersen, Oliver Provstgaard, Joakim Maehle; Morten Hjulmand, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg; Gustav Isaksen, Mikkel Damsgaard, Mohamed Daramy; Rasmus Hojlund
Portugal
Francisco Conceição was hurt in Oslo and is not going to feature in Copenhagen. Bruno Fernandes missed out in Norway but has participated in training and should start.
Gonçalo Ramos will continue up front after Cristiano Ronaldo sensationally abandoned the squad.
He said: "After the press conference of the National Team coach, and following a conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, I decided to leave the National Team camp.
"In due time, I will tell all the Portuguese about the reasons that motivated my departure from the national team, which I always dedicated myself to. Now it's time to wish good luck to Portugal and all my teammates, without exception."
The FPF released the following statement: "The Portuguese Football Federation reports that Portuguese international Cristiano Ronaldo has left the national team's training camp in Copenhagen.
"Preparation for the matches against Denmark and Norway, the latter to be played at the Estádio do Dragão, will continue as planned, with the remaining 24 players called up.
"The entire delegation remains completely focused on the National Team's upcoming commitments and on achieving the defined objectives."
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Rui Silva, Samuel Soares
Defenders: Rúben Dias, João Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Diogo Dalot, Gonçalo Inácio, Renato Veiga, Tomás Araújo, Nuno Tavares
Midfielders: Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Rúben Neves, Vitinha, João Palhinha, João Neves
Forwards: João Félix, Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto, Gonçalo Ramos, Francisco Conceição, Fábio Silva
Portugal (4-4-1-1): Diogo Costa; João Cancelo; Rúben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; Pedro Neto, Vitinha, Rúben Neves, Bruno Fernandes; João Félix; Gonçalo Ramos
Jorge Jesus quotes
"For me, the most important thing is what we came to do against Denmark, a great opponent. The objective is to win the Nations League. As for Ronaldo, he's not the main topic. I agreed with him that he wouldn't play against Norway and Denmark. I knew Cristiano and his physical abilities because of his time in Saudi Arabia.
"He never trains on the first or second day after a game. He was with me for a year and that never happened. I told him he was going to come on, but I'm not the kind of coach who goes to the bench already thinking about what substitutions I'm going to make. The game dictates my changes. I thought he could be an option as the game progressed, I sent him to warm up, however, the game demanded other things.
"I had also agreed with Bruno on a plan for the match against Norway. This is to tell you that status is one thing, but the rules are the same for everyone. The coach decides and I try to do what's best for the team. Against Wales, Bruno Fernandes wasn't at his best. I spoke to him: 'You're not the Bruno I know.'
"He opened up to me and I told him, 'You're not going to play in the next game against Norway, you're going to play against Denmark, until you're recovered.' It was a situation identical to Cristiano Ronaldo's. He will play against Denmark, you can be sure of that. As I said, status doesn't give players the right to be seen differently. The president is in charge of the club, the team, and I'm in charge.
"Ronaldo didn't refuse to train. Those who didn't train were Francisco Conceição, because he was injured, João Félix, to try and relieve some fatigue, and Cristiano did gym work and mobilisation on the field. Afterwards, he went to do some strengthening work at the hotel. Do you think any player on the Portuguese national team refuses to train?
"You (journalists) forced me to talk to Cristiano about a case that wasn't a case. 'Cristiano, in Portugal there's a lot of talk about this and I don't understand what's going on'. He answered me naturally, as we had said in the press conference: 'Mister, if you want me to play, I'll play, if you want me to go to the stands, I'll go too'. That was our conversation.
"The President of the FPF also came, wanted to know what was going on, but we had already solved the problem. I always made three or four changes in every game. With four games in eleven days, you're forced to make changes, especially with the most fatigued players. There are some players who will return to the starting lineup.
"Francisco Conceição remains out of the options. I've already said that Bruno Fernandes will be a starter. If everything goes according to plan in training, Gonçalo will play against Denmark. I don't know if Ronaldo will play; again, it will depend on what the game demands."
