Portugal in Nations League quarters without Ronaldo, Jesus opens door

Portugal secured early qualification for the Nations League quarter‑finals on Sunday, beating Noruega 2‑1 at the Estádio do Dragão and keeping a perfect record in Grupo A4, all without Cristiano Ronaldo in the squad. The win, their fourth in as many games, gave them twelve points and a six‑point cushion over second‑placed Dinamarca.

Match secures group dominance

The encounter took place on Sunday the 4th at the Estádio do Dragão. Noruega took the lead when Kristoffer Ajer scored in the 36th minute, putting the visitors ahead. Two minutes later João Cancelo fired a powerful strike to level the score for the Seleção Portuguesa.

Gonçalo Ramos restored the lead in the 79th minute with the decisive goal. His finish secured the three points for the side coached by Jorge Jesus. Portugal finished with ten men after Francisco Conceição received a second yellow card, yet they held on until the final whistle.

Jesus opens door for Ronaldo

When asked after the victory about the future of the number‑seven, Jorge Jesus replied, “If he wants, he will return to the national team.” He added that the incident that led to Ronaldo’s departure was a misunderstanding and will not become an obstacle.

Ronaldo apologises to the national team and reopens the door for Portugal

Ronaldo left the Portuguese camp during the Data Fifa and did not feature in the two fixtures against Dinamarca and Noruega. He had been told he would not start against Dinamarca and later said he would explain his reasons for walking away. The striker’s absence highlighted Portugal’s collective strength without its biggest star. The accompanying image carries the credit ‘FIFA Portal’.

With four wins from four matches, Portugal amassed twelve points, scored nine goals and conceded four in Grupo A4. The tally gave them a six‑point advantage over Dinamarca, who sit second.

Cristiano Ronaldo accuses Jorge Jesus of not keeping the promise

The Seleção Portuguesa still has two group games in November, facing Dinamarca again and País de Gales before the Nations League knockout phase begins.