"Ronaldo did not deserve this": global reactions to Portugal's "humiliation"
Goal | 15.11.2026 05:02
The occasion to honour the legend Cristiano Ronaldo in the match between Portugal and Denmark turned into a dark night for the team of coach Jorge Jesus, who suffered a humiliating 1-4 defeat in Braga, in the UEFA Nations League. In fact, it turned into a dark night that spoiled the distinctive crowd atmosphere with which the match had begun.
With Ronaldo nowhere in sight, the players walked out in shirts bearing his name and the number 7, and the crowd hoisted a banner reading "Thank you, captain". Then the goals started to flow, and the tribute curdled into whistles and fury.
The international press pounced on what unfolded. Spain's AS led the charge with the sharpest verdict of all, opting for a blunt headline: "Cristiano did not deserve this". The paper judged the cold tribute from players and supporters, followed by the heavy defeat, unworthy of a legend who gave 23 years to his national team.
Marca handed the real tribute to Denmark, a nod to the visitors' total dominance and the four goals they slammed home on a night meant for Ronaldo's farewell. The Spanish paper tied the result to the dawn of the post-Cristiano era and called it a disaster.
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Catalan daily Sport reached the same verdict, writing: "Portugal humiliated at Cristiano's tribute ceremony". The paper zeroed in on the gulf between the official celebration of the legend and the team's total collapse against a Danish side that punished every Portuguese mistake.
Over in Italy, La Gazzetta dello Sport dwelt on Portugal's feeble display in Ronaldo's absence under the headline: "A bad look for Portugal without CR7: the devilish Hojlund and Denmark score four goals". The paper noted that Norway still hold their chance in the group.
France's L'Equipe summed up the night in one harsh phrase: "A new era: a heavy defeat". Portugal's first test after Ronaldo's departure ended in a clear collapse against Denmark, not the promising start for a new generation many had hoped for.
Back in Portugal, the papers showed no mercy either. O Jogo wrote that a night meant to honour Ronaldo had turned into a "nightmare", while A Bola asked: "What happened, Portugal?", branding the loss a "humiliation" in Braga. Publico landed a sting of its own: "Ronaldo did not attend the tribute ceremony, and neither did Portugal show up", a dig at the legend's absence from the pitch and the team's fading display in front of its own crowd.
British outlets piled in too. BBC Sport called the result a "humiliation for Portugal", and the Guardian focused on Denmark's clear superiority. talkSPORT went further still, branding the loss an "unprecedented insult" in the national team's history and the biggest official defeat Portugal have suffered on home soil.
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The reaction spilled well beyond the newspapers. Campaigns backing Ronaldo swept across social media under the slogan "Never disrespect Cristiano Ronaldo", with comments insisting: "Without Ronaldo there is no party", a pointed reminder of the void his absence left on the tribute night.
In Brazil, the UOL website drew out the contrast between the tribute atmosphere and the heavy defeat. It carried the words of Jorge Jesus, who refused to pin the loss on Ronaldo's absence while admitting to the defensive problems that plagued his team.
