In Copenhagen, Portugal’s perfect start continued with a 4-2 win over Denmark and nine points from three matches, but the journey north was also shaped by Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence from the pitch and his subsequent departure from the squad camp.
Ronaldo did not play a minute in Portugal’s second match against Norway, before leaving the group in the Danish capital. Jorge Jesus, Portugal’s coach, sought to keep the focus on the performance that followed, praising his side after the four-goal display against Denmark rather than reopening a dispute that has dominated the international window.
“It was a very high-quality victory,” Jesus said. “We scored four times and, in my view, produced a strong performance. That matters more than anything else that happened. I want to think about this game and the next one at the Dragao, with our supporters filling the stadium.”
Portugal return home for Norway’s visit to Porto on Sunday 4 October, a fixture that could also bring clarity over Ronaldo’s position with the national team. Jesus said the matter would be addressed after that match, insisting he would not avoid the conversation.
Before the Denmark game, the coach had similarly declined to give a detailed account of the situation. Asked whether he would have handled Ronaldo differently, he said there would be time to discuss it, while describing the issue as closed for the moment.
Jesus said the recent days had been “crazy”, but maintained that his decisions had not disrupted Portugal’s progress. “I have been in football for many years,” he said. “My conscience is completely clear.” He also stressed that Ronaldo remains “a symbol and an important figure”, even if the wider debate must eventually be confronted directly.
Pressed after the victory on his previous observation that certain players carry a different status within a squad, Jesus offered no retreat. “Zero regret,” he said. “I still believe that. There are players with status; that is very clear to me. The rules are the same for everyone. I have always believed that and I always will.”
