Portugal play Denmark at Parken tonight without Cristiano Ronaldo. The captain left the squad's camp in Copenhagen on Wednesday, hours after Jorge Jesus said Gonçalo Ramos would lead the attack, and the Portuguese Football Federation confirmed his departure that evening. The third round of Nations League Group A4 kicks off at 20:45 CEST.

Ronaldo has not announced an international retirement. In a post on his social media accounts on Wednesday evening, he said he had decided to leave the camp after the coach's press conference and a conversation with Pedro Proença, the federation's president. He did not give his reasons.

In due course, I will tell all Portuguese people the truth about the reasons behind my departure from the national team, to which I have always dedicated myself.

Cristiano Ronaldo, on social media, Wednesday 30 September

He ended the post by wishing Portugal and all his team-mates good luck, "without exception". The federation's statement ran to three sentences. It said preparation for Denmark and for Sunday's home game against Norway would continue as planned with the other 24 players, and that the whole delegation remained fully focused on the coming fixtures.

What is only reported

O Jogo reported on Wednesday night that Ronaldo's decision not to play for Portugal again is irreversible. If so, the 1-0 win over Wales in Lisbon on 24 September, which he started, was his last international. Neither Ronaldo nor the federation has said that. A Bola published video that appeared to show him leaving Parken in a federation vehicle, and O Jogo reported that his private jet left Copenhagen for Madrid late that night.

What Jesus said before he left

Ronaldo was an unused substitute in Sunday's 2-1 win over Norway in Oslo, where João Félix and Ramos scored. Observador reported that it was the first time since 2008 he had stayed on the bench for a whole official match. At his press conference at Parken on Wednesday afternoon, Jesus said he had agreed a plan with Ronaldo, as he had with Bruno Fernandes: Ronaldo would not play in Norway or Denmark. Jesus said he had told him before the Oslo game that he might be needed for 20 or 30 minutes. Sending him to warm up at half-time was his own mistake, he added, and it should have been 15 or 20 minutes later.

There is no Cristiano, and there never will be any player, who will change my ideas as a coach.

Jorge Jesus, at his press conference in Copenhagen, Wednesday 30 September

Jesus also denied reports that Ronaldo had refused to train on Tuesday, and said he would train on Wednesday. Ronaldo left Parken instead, as the session began.

The two know each other well. Jesus coached Ronaldo at Al-Nassr in 2025/26, a job he said in July 2025 he would not have taken without Ronaldo's invitation, and they won the Saudi Pro League together before Jesus left. He used that season to explain the plan: when Al-Nassr played every three days, he said, Ronaldo rarely played. Jesus succeeded Roberto Martínez as Portugal coach after the World Cup.

What it means tonight

Jesus said that if everything went normally, Ramos would start. Rafael Leão will wear the No. 7 shirt, switching from 17, according to UEFA's squad list. Fernandes, the Manchester United captain, missed Oslo after playing through pain for around three games. He trained on Monday, and Jesus said he would play in Copenhagen if nothing went wrong in training. Félix was carrying tightness in both calves and, Jesus said, would play if he came through Wednesday's session. Francisco Conceição is injured. Denmark are without Patrick Dorgu, who left their camp injured last week.

Portugal lead the group with six points from two games, with Denmark and Norway on three each. The top two go through to the quarter-finals. Portugal host Norway at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto on Sunday 4 October.

Ronaldo, 41, is Portugal's most-capped player and record scorer, with 146 goals in 234 matches since his debut in August 2003.