Portugal host Denmark at the Estádio Municipal de Braga on Saturday 14 November, with kick-off at 7.45pm UK time. It is matchday five of UEFA Nations League Group A4 and the first Portugal game since Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football on 5 November. Jorge Jesus’s side have won all four group games, while Denmark sit second and are looking to protect their own place in the last eight.
What is at stake
Portugal have 12 points and are already through to the quarter-finals. A point against Denmark is enough to make them group winners. Denmark have six points from four games, six behind the leaders. A win would send them into the quarter-finals provided Norway do not beat Wales earlier in the evening, and a draw would at least keep them clear of direct relegation. The final round follows on Tuesday 17 November, when Denmark face Norway and Portugal travel to Wales.
There is an emotional edge too. Portugal’s players will all wear the number 7 in Braga, and the stadium is due to stop in the seventh minute to salute Ronaldo, who finished with 234 caps and 146 goals.
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Portugal team news
- Cristiano Ronaldo: retired from international football, so not in the squad.
- João Cancelo: suspended after picking up a booking that took him over the yellow card limit.
- Francisco Conceição: suspended after his red card against Norway on 4 October.
- Rafael Leão: out with a thigh injury.
- Nuno Mendes: out with a hamstring problem.
- Tomás Araújo and Nuno Tavares: both withdrew from the squad with injuries.
Jorge Jesus has a perfect record in the group and is using this window to build for the next major tournaments. Bernardo Silva has taken over as captain.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Diogo Costa; Dalot, Dias, Veiga, Nazinho; Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, João Neves; Bernardo Silva, Gonçalo Ramos, João Félix.
Denmark team news
- Andreas Christensen: hamstring injury, still unavailable.
- Patrick Dorgu: still rebuilding fitness after a muscle problem and left out of the squad.
- Anton Gaaei: injured and not part of this international break.
- Suspensions: none, although six Danish players are one booking away from a ban.
Brian Riemer has rebuilt the side after Denmark missed the 2026 World Cup. Mads Bidstrup could come into midfield for the trip to Braga.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Hermansen; Kristensen, Andersen, Provstgaard, Mæhle; Hjulmand, Højbjerg; Isaksen, Froholdt, Daramy; Højlund.
Recent form
Portugal
| Date | Result | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Oct 2026 | Portugal 2-1 Norway | Cancelo, Ramos (Conceição sent off late on) |
| 1 Oct 2026 | Denmark 2-4 Portugal | Cancelo, Ramos, Vitinha, Félix |
| 27 Sep 2026 | Norway 1-2 Portugal | Félix, Ramos |
| 24 Sep 2026 | Portugal 1-0 Wales | Félix |
Four wins, nine goals scored and four conceded. Portugal have kept just one clean sheet in the competition, but they keep finding a way. They came from behind to beat Norway in Porto, and Ramos has scored in each of his last three Nations League games. Félix has scored in three of the four.
Denmark
| Date | Result | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Oct 2026 | Wales 0-1 Denmark | Højlund (penalty) |
| 1 Oct 2026 | Denmark 2-4 Portugal | Damsgaard, Højlund |
| 27 Sep 2026 | Denmark 2-0 Wales | Davies (own goal), Isaksen |
| 24 Sep 2026 | Norway 3-2 Denmark | Two goals scored, Haaland struck twice for Norway |
Two wins and two defeats, with seven scored and seven conceded. Denmark have scored in every group game, but they have been loose at the back against the two strongest attacks in the group. Both wins came against Wales.
Head-to-head since November 2022
| Date | Result | Yellow cards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 2026 | Denmark 2-4 Portugal (Nations League) | 2 (one each) |
| 23 Mar 2025 | Portugal 5-2 Denmark, after extra time (Nations League quarter-final, second leg) | Not confirmed |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Denmark 1-0 Portugal (Nations League quarter-final, first leg) | 2 (Dalot, Vitinha) |
Portugal have won two of the three meetings and Denmark one. The 2025 quarter-final was decided over two legs, with Portugal overturning a 1-0 deficit to go through 5-3 on aggregate. Højlund scored the only goal in Copenhagen that March, and Trincão scored twice in Lisbon. The most recent meeting, in Copenhagen on 1 October, was another high-scoring game with six goals and very few bookings.
Players to watch
Gonçalo Ramos (Portugal): With Ronaldo gone, Ramos is the obvious number nine. He has three goals in the Nations League, including the winner in Oslo and the late winner against Norway in Porto, and he scored against Denmark in the reverse fixture.
João Félix (Portugal): Three goals in four group games, including one against Denmark in Copenhagen. He plays in the pocket behind Ramos and has scored or set up a goal in each of his last three Nations League appearances.
Rasmus Højlund (Denmark): Denmark’s top scorer in the competition with three goals. He scored against Portugal in October and has a habit of finding the net against them, having also scored the winner in the first leg of the 2025 quarter-final.
Predictions
| Market | Prediction |
|---|---|
| Full-time score | Portugal 2-1 Denmark |
| Half-time score | Portugal 1-0 Denmark |
| Most likely first goalscorer | Gonçalo Ramos |
| Denmark’s most likely scorer | Rasmus Højlund |
| Yellow cards | 3 (range of 2 to 4) |
| Red cards | None |
| Both teams to score | Yes |
| Total goals | Over 2.5 |
| Corners | 9 to 11 |
| Team to score first | Portugal |
| Late goal (75th minute or later) | Yes |
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Why we think it ends 2-1
Portugal are at home, unbeaten in the group and have a deeper squad even without Cancelo, Conceição, Leão and Mendes. Denmark’s attack will cause problems, as Damsgaard and Højlund showed in October, but their defence has leaked seven goals in four games and Christensen is still missing. Portugal have been ahead at half-time in three of their four group matches, so a narrow lead at the break looks the most likely route.
First goal
Portugal scored first in three of their four group games, and Ramos has scored in each of the last three. He gets our vote to open the scoring, with Højlund the most likely Danish scorer.
Cards and late drama
The two matches where we have confirmed card counts between these sides each produced two yellows, and Portugal’s last two group games brought a red card and several bookings. With six Danish players on the brink of a suspension we expect a slightly tighter control of tackles from them, so three yellows and no red looks about right. Goals have arrived late in plenty of these games. Ramos won it for Portugal in the 79th minute against Norway, Félix scored in the 87th minute in Copenhagen and Højlund’s penalty in Cardiff came in the 75th minute, so a goal in the closing stages is a good bet.
