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Portugal Beat Norway 2-1, Reach Nations League Quarter-Finals Without Ronaldo

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In brief

Portugal defeated Norway 2-1 in Porto on 4 October 2026, becoming the first team to secure a UEFA Nations League quarter-final spot after extending their Group A4 record to four wins out of four. The victory came without captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who left the national squad's training camp days earlier after being dropped from the starting line-up.

Portugal secured their place in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Nations League by beating Norway 2-1 at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto on Sunday, 4 October 2026. The result made Portugal the first side to confirm a last-eight berth, with the knockout round scheduled for March 2027, according to the match report carried by France 24.

How the match unfolded

Norway took the lead in the 36th minute when Kristoffer Ajer struck a half-volley from the edge of the penalty area after latching onto a Martin Odegaard free-kick, according to ESPN's match report. Portugal equalised two minutes later through Joao Cancelo, who finished in similar fashion at the other end.

Goncalo Ramos settled the contest in the 79th minute, scoring from close range after a move involving Vitinha and Joao Felix, per ESPN's match report. Portugal played the closing stages with ten men after Francisco Conceicao was sent off for a second yellow card following dissent over a disallowed penalty appeal, as reported by both France 24 and Vanguard News.

Why Ronaldo was not on the pitch

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal's captain, did not feature against Norway. According to Inside World Football and The National, Ronaldo was an unused substitute in an earlier Group A4 match against Norway after coach Jorge Jesus opted not to bring him on, despite having indicated he would play. Days later, after Jesus confirmed at a press conference that Ronaldo would again start from the bench for the match against Denmark, the 41-year-old left the national team's training camp.

Ronaldo announced his departure on Instagram, saying he had spoken with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca before leaving. Portugal went on to beat Denmark 4-2 without him, a result confirmed by ESPN's game report, before completing a perfect October window with the win over Norway in Porto.

In time, I will tell all the Portuguese the truth about the reasons that motivated me to leave.

— Cristiano Ronaldo, via Instagram, as reported by The National

Defender Nuno Mendes said, as cited by France 24, that any player returning to the squad would be welcomed by his teammates.

Group A4 standings and what comes next

UEFA Nations League Group A4 standings after matchday four (source: WSLS, 4 October 2026)
TeamWins
Portugal4
Denmark2
Wales1
Norway1

Portugal's four wins from four matches put them clear at the top of Group A4, ahead of Denmark, Wales and Norway, according to the standings reported by WSLS. The result guarantees Portugal a top-two finish and, with it, the first confirmed place among the teams advancing to the Nations League quarter-finals in March 2027.

Elsewhere in League A on the same matchday, Germany were held 0-0 by Greece in Thessaloniki, a result also reported by WSLS, extending Germany's winless run against Greece in the competition to two matches.

Questions

Did Cristiano Ronaldo play for Portugal against Norway?
No. Ronaldo was not in the squad for the 4 October match against Norway after leaving Portugal's training camp days earlier, following a dispute over his place in the starting line-up, according to France 24 and Inside World Football.
Why did Ronaldo leave the Portugal training camp?
Ronaldo departed after coach Jorge Jesus confirmed he would again start from the bench, having already been an unused substitute in an earlier Group A4 match. Ronaldo said on Instagram he would later explain his reasons.
What does the win over Norway mean for Portugal?
The 2-1 victory gave Portugal four wins from four Group A4 matches and made them the first team confirmed for the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals, scheduled for March 2027.
Who scored in Portugal's 2-1 win over Norway?
Kristoffer Ajer put Norway ahead in the 36th minute, Joao Cancelo equalised two minutes later, and Goncalo Ramos scored the winner in the 79th minute, per match reports from ESPN and France 24.
Why did Portugal finish the match with ten men?
Francisco Conceicao was sent off late in the game for a second yellow card after disputing a penalty decision, according to France 24 and Vanguard News.

Sources

  1. France 24 — Ronaldo-less Portugal beat Norway to reach Nations League quarters
  2. ESPN — Portugal 2-1 Norway (Oct 4, 2026) Game Analysis
  3. Vanguard News — Portugal edge Norway to become first team through to Nations League quarter-finals
  4. Inside World Football — Ronaldo walks out of Portugal's Nations League camp
  5. The National — Cristiano Ronaldo walks out on Portugal and says he will explain why 'in time'
  6. WSLS — Portugal stays perfect without Ronaldo in Nations League, Germany held by Greece

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