In a thrilling encounter that had to be decided in extra time, Portugal secured their spot in the Nations League Final Four with a hard-fought win over Denmark. With his sights set on winning his third international trophy, Cristiano Ronaldo shared an uplifting reaction following the qualification.
Portugal entered the match needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in Denmark. With a 5-2 aggregate victory in extra time, Ronaldo’s side completed the comeback, earning a place in the Final Four, which will be contested in June.
The legendary forward played a key role in the comeback, scoring a vital goal in the 72nd minute. After Bruno Fernandes’ shot rattled the post and deflected off goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, Ronaldo was quick to pounce on the rebound, equalizing and keeping Portugal’s hopes alive. Following the match, Ronaldo took to social media to share his excitement and pride in the team’s achievement.
“What a night, Portugal!” Ronaldo posted on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, alongside photos of the moment of qualification and his celebratory reaction—a celebration he had predicted after Denmark’s Rasmus Hojlund mimicked Ronaldo’s iconic gesture in the first game.
Before the game, Ronaldo was honored with a Guinness World Record award for the most international wins in history. He also extended his all-time goal tally with Portugal to 136 goals in 219 appearances. Looking ahead, Ronaldo’s Portugal will face Germany in the Nations League semifinals on June 4th. Germany advanced after a 5-4 aggregate victory over Italy.
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Ronaldo’s dialogue with Martinez raises concerns
One of the more surprising moments of the match came in the 90+1 minute when coach Roberto Martinez decided to substitute Ronaldo for Gonçalo Ramos. The timing of the substitution raised eyebrows, as the match was tied, and extra time (and potentially penalties) loomed, making Ronaldo’s absence seem like a significant blow.
However, the decision appeared to be premeditated. In the 86th minute, immediately after Francisco Trincao’s equalizer, Ronaldo approached his coach, and footage showed him seemingly pointing to his right leg, possibly signaling discomfort or a potential injury.
Moments later, Ronaldo was substituted, visibly displeased with the decision. While no official updates on the status of his injury have been released, the interaction with Martinez and the timing of the substitution have raised concerns about a possible injury risk.
