Portugal without Ronaldo in quarterfinal, Zirkzee leads Netherlands

On 5 October 2026, Portugal reached the quarter‑finals of the Nations League, even though Cristiano Ronaldo was not used, while Joshua Zirkzee gave the Netherlands the victory over Serbia and took them to the top of the table; at the same time, Erling Haaland had to be substituted because of a thigh injury.

Portugal without Ronaldo in the quarter‑final

Coach Jorge Jesus led the team to a 2‑1 win over Norway, with Gonçalo Ramos scoring the winning goal in the 79th minute. The Norwegian Kristoffer Ajer had already put the visitors ahead in the 36th minute with a spectacular volley goal, but João Cancelo equalised in the 38th minute. Francisco Conceição received a yellow‑red card in the 86th minute, and Gonçalo Ramos's market value is listed at €50.00 million.

The victory was Portugal's fourth match in the Nations League and secured an early qualification for the quarter‑finals. For the upcoming duel in Denmark, Jesus gave the superstar no guarantee of a start, after Ronaldo left the squad following the first leg against Norway. Without Ronaldo, Portugal continued its strong form.

Netherlands thanks to Zirkzee to the top of the table

The Netherlands beat Serbia 2‑1, with Joshua Zirkzee scoring in the 72nd minute after a precise combination. Teun Koopmeiners opened the game with a direct free‑kick in the 31st minute, while Virgil van Dijk missed his 100th international match. Mihajlo Cvetkovic equalised for Serbia in the 35th minute with a header, and Zirkzee's market value stands at €20.00 million.

Portugal's federation demands humility from Cristiano Ronaldo

With the win, the Netherlands took the lead in Group 4, aided by the 0‑0 draw between Greece and Germany. The new Spanish coach Xavi Hernández benefited from this result, which strengthened the Netherlands' position in the table.

Erling Haaland had to be substituted at half‑time in the second international match because of a thigh complaint and left the field limping. His market value is listed at €220.00 million, and he remained without a goal.

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The contrast between Portugal's success without Cristiano Ronaldo and the Netherlands' rise thanks to Joshua Zirkzee shows how quickly the dynamics in international football can change.