Ronaldo Saga Won't Divide Portugal, Says Jesus After Denmark Victory

Jorge Jesus stated that the Cristiano Ronaldo situation "will not divide" his Portugal team after they secured a strong 4-2 victory against Denmark in Copenhagen. The team played without their record goalscorer.

Ronaldo left the squad this week following a disagreement with Jesus, seemingly marking the end of his international career. This dispute had overshadowed the build-up to the UEFA Nations League match, but it did not impact Portugal's attacking performance.

Following a 2-1 win over Norway where a dissatisfied Ronaldo remained on the bench, Portugal took the lead in the 13th minute through Joao Cancelo. Mikkel Damsgaard equalised with a precise strike ten minutes later, but Goncalo Ramos quickly restored Portugal's lead.

Rasmus Hojlund brought Denmark level again eight minutes into the second half. However, Vitinha scored his first goal for Portugal to put them back in front. Ronaldo's teammate at Al-Nassr, Joao Felix, added a fourth late in the game, securing Portugal's third win in three matches as defending Nations League champions.

Portugal faces Norway in Porto on Sunday, their final match of this international break. Jesus emphasized the squad's unity despite the Ronaldo incident.

When asked if the players supported him, Jesus told Sport TV: "There's no reason for them not to be behind me. What matters is what we have to do. I know why you asked that question, but things happen – they don’t divide the team, and they won’t divide us."

Vitinha Praises Jesus After Portugal's Latest Win

Speaking to RTP, Vitinha supported his coach's statements, crediting Jesus for their strong start in the Nations League.

"Because of the coach’s work," Vitinha responded when asked about improvements in Jesus' first three games. "We played an excellent game – it’s undeniable. Winning here is very difficult. We learned that the hard way before. We lost, and it was tough. Don’t be fooled by the result; the performance was key. It was our best so far.

We've been improving over these last three games. The more time we spend with the coach, the more we absorb his ideas and develop more dynamic play. We've always been strong defensively. We've taken a step forward offensively. I hope we continue this way. It was a hard-fought victory. It’s tough to play here. Beyond the win, it was an excellent performance.

The coach’s work is starting to show. It was clear today. Fortunately, things are going well, and we want to keep it that way. Now, we need everyone at the Dragao to help us secure a fourth win in a row, which would be perfect."

Regarding the Ronaldo situation, Vitinha added: "We tried to stay out of it. We focused on the game and succeeded. We responded incredibly well. Congratulations to the whole team for that."