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Portugal hosts Denmark in the UEFA Nations League Group A4 fixture at the Braga Municipal Stadium on Saturday, November 14, at 7:45pm local time. Al Jazeera Sport provides build-up coverage starting at 16:45 GMT ahead of a live text commentary stream, as the national team plays its first match following the international retirement of longtime captain Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo Departure and Group Standings
Ronaldo ended his 23-year career with the national team last week by releasing a video announcement on social media, following a public disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus. The 41-year-old forward wore the No 7 shirt and stated it was time to pass the responsibility to the future. Portugal enters the match after already securing a place in the quarterfinals, while forwards Goncalo Ramos and Joao Felix have led the team’s attack with three goals each in Ronaldo’s absence. Two-time title holders Portugal will secure first place in the group if they avoid a defeat against second-placed Denmark. Meanwhile, Denmark needs a victory against Portugal combined with a failure by Norway to beat Wales in order to guarantee a spot in the final eight on Saturday.
Campaign Performance and Head-to-Head History
Portugal holds a flawless record in the tournament with four victories from four matches, beginning with a 1-0 home win against Wales and a 2-1 win over Norway. After Ronaldo left the training camp, Portugal defeated Denmark 4-2 away and beat Norway 2-1 at home to advance. Denmark records two wins and two losses, opening with a 3-2 defeat to Norway, defeating Wales 2-0 at home, losing 4-2 to Portugal, and securing a 1-0 away win against Wales. In their previous encounter on October 1, Portugal claimed a 4-2 victory in Copenhagen with goals from Joao Cancelo, Goncalo Ramos, Vitinha, and Felix, while Mikkel Damsgaard and Rasmus Hojlund scored for Denmark. Across 19 historical matches, Portugal has won 13 times, Denmark has won 4 times, and 2 games have ended in draws.
Match Predictions and Team News
Opta’s supercomputer calculates a 59.4 percent probability of a Portugal win, a 19.4 percent chance for Denmark, and a 21.2 percent likelihood of a draw. Portugal will miss suspended players Joao Cancelo and Francisco Conceicao, alongside injured squad members Rafael Leao, Nuno Mendes, and Nuno Tavares. Portugal’s probable starting lineup features Diogo Costa, Diogo Dalot, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Flavio Nazinho, Ruben Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Felix, and Goncalo Ramos. Denmark will play without Patrick Dorgu and must manage six players who are one yellow card away from a suspension. Denmark’s probable starting XI includes Mads Hermansen, Rasmus Kristensen, Joachim Andersen, Oliver Provstgaard, Joakim Maehle, Morten Hjulmand, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Gustav Isaksen, Mikkel Damsgaard, Mohamed Daramy, and Rasmus Hojlund.
Viewers can watch the match through regional broadcasters including Sport TV Portugal in Portugal, TV2 PLAY in Denmark, beIN SPORTS across the Middle East and North Africa, Prime Video UK in the United Kingdom, FOX Sports, FuboTV, and ViX in the United States, Sony Sports Network in India, and DStv Stream in South Africa, with additional regional broadcasters listed on UEFA’s official website.
