Portugal offered an early look at life without Cristiano Ronaldo by beating Denmark 4-2 in Copenhagen in the UEFA Nations League. Vitinha and Goncalo Ramos were among the scorers in a result that came after Ronaldo, Portugal's captain and the men's international football record goalscorer, left the camp before the match.
A test of Portugal without Ronaldo
The move followed a difficult stretch for Ronaldo at international level. Against Norway, he was put on the bench and did not play, and Guillem Balague said the 41-year-old spent much of the second half warming up without coming on. Balague added that there are tacit rules in football that you do not do that to players such as Pele, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo had been effectively undroppable for years, so his absence created a clear test for Roberto Martinez's side. The timing also mattered because Ronaldo had reunited with Jorge Jesus at Al-Nassr this summer after Martinez resigned as Portugal head coach. With that backdrop, Portugal's response in Copenhagen was notable for both the scoreline and the way it unfolded.
What the result means
The 4-2 win suggests Portugal can still produce goals and rhythm even without their long-time focal point. Vitinha and Goncalo Ramos provided a reminder that there is attacking depth around Bruno Fernandes, Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix, and the victory gives Portugal a useful reference point as the team continues to move toward a post-Ronaldo era.
Ronaldo later said the issue would be resolved "in time," but for now the main takeaway is simple: Portugal answered the question on the pitch. In Copenhagen, they beat Denmark 4-2, and they did it without Ronaldo in the camp.
