Com João Félix's strike, Portugal start Nations League with win
Com João Félix's early strike, Portugal opened their Nations League campaign with a 1‑0 victory over Wales at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisboa on Thursday, 24 September 2026. The match, part of the first round of Grupo 4, kicked off at 15h45 (de Brasília). Félix's goal arrived in the 22nd minute of the first half.
Félix's decisive strike and Portugal's early dominance
João Félix received a low pass from Nuno Mendes inside the penalty area and finished with a deft header that beat the Welsh goalkeeper. The goal gave Portugal the lead and set the tone for the opening half, which saw the hosts maintain a higher tempo and more vertical circulation than in recent internationals.
In the second half, Cristiano Ronaldo found the net in the 59th minute, but VAR intervened and ruled the effort offside, nullifying what would have been a second goal. Despite the setback, Portugal held on, with Brennan Johnson forcing a shot that struck the post in the 74th minute and Rúben Dias clearing a Daniel James attempt on the line.
Group picture and upcoming fixtures
Foi a primeira partida de Jorge Jesus como seleccionador nacional, and the night was billed as a gala debut for the new manager. Portugal now sit second in Grupo 4 with three points, while País de Gales remain at the bottom with none. In the same round, Noruega defeated Dinamarca 3‑2, putting the Noruegueses at the top of the group.
Jorge Jesus starts with João Félix to open the scoring against Wales
João Félix entered the match after a prolific 2025/26 season with Al‑Nassr, where he recorded 26 goals and 18 assists in 47 games. His resurgence follows spells at Atlético de Madrid, Chelsea, Barcelona and Milan, and he justified the faith placed in him by the new coach.
Wales struggled to create clear chances, but managed a fleeting threat when Johnson's shot hit the bar. The Welsh defence, however, held firm for most of the second half, limiting Portugal's opportunities after the interval.
Cristiano Ronaldo misses the shot one metre under Jorge Jesus
Looking ahead, Portugal travel to Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo to face Noruega on 27 September 2026 at 15h45 (de Brasília). Wales will meet Dinamarca later that day at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, with the match scheduled for 13h. The Portuguese side also has fixtures against Dinamarca on 1 October and a return clash with Noruega on 4 October.