Portugal began its new era without Cristiano Ronaldo with a heavy 1–4 defeat to Denmark in the Nations League. After the match, coach Jorge Jesus said that the forward would not return to the national team.
“He is no longer here. We miss him as company, as someone to talk to, but he no longer plays for the national team and has decided on his future. It is natural for people to mourn and remember what Cristiano Ronaldo did for 23 years with the national team, but there is no going back,” Jesus said.
The coach described Portugal’s performance as weaker defensively compared with the previous match against Denmark away from home. According to him, the team had been unable to stop the opposition’s attacks, especially after the break.
“I thought the team would be able to improve, but we didn’t manage it. The opponent proved to be stronger and better,” Jesus said.
He also drew attention to João Félix’s performance. According to the coach, the forward had been unable to play between the lines, and Portugal had not gained the expected advantage in the central area. Denmark had prevailed precisely in this aspect and had managed to surprise the hosts.
Jesus said the defeat had affected the players’ emotional state. Before the match, the team had been confident in its abilities, but after the heavy loss, the coach called for Denmark’s performance to be acknowledged.
“Defeats are always unpleasant and affect the players’ emotional state. Until today, the team had been extremely confident in its abilities, but now we must give Denmark the credit it deserves,” he said.
The coach added that if Portugal had already secured its place in the next round, he would have used different players in the match in Cardiff.
Jesus also defended the decision to pay tribute to Ronaldo. “He deserved it for everything he did for the national team and Portugal,” the coach said.