Portugal suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat against Denmark in their first match since Cristiano Ronaldo announced his international retirement, “reported Yahoo Sports.”
The 41-year-old forward, who holds world records with 146 goals in 234 appearances, ended his career last week via a social media video.
Fans and players in Braga paid tribute to the former captain, with every player and mascot wearing “Ronaldo 7” shirts before kickoff.
Supporters displayed banners reading “thank you, captain” and formed a tifo that spelled out “Ronaldo goat” to honor his legacy.
Despite the emotional atmosphere, the team struggled as Denmark secured a dominant victory in the UEFA Nations League fixture.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg opened the scoring with a penalty just before halftime following a handball by Ruben Dias.
Rasmus Hojlund added two goals in the second half, while Joachim Andersen headed in a fourth for the visitors.
Bernardo Silva netted a late consolation goal for Portugal, but the lopsided result dampened the pre-match festivities.
Coach Jorge Jesus noted that Ronaldo would have been selected for the squad had he remained available, “according to the BBC.”
Ronaldo had previously walked out of the national camp in September after being informed he would not start the opening match.
That incident resulted in a 30-day suspension and a fine of 215 pounds, the outlets reported.
Looking ahead, Portugal must avoid defeat against Wales on Tuesday to secure their position as group winners.
Meanwhile, the team has already begun the transition to a new era, with the iconic number seven shirt now worn by Carlos Forbs.
The national team shared a statement on social media regarding the jersey change, noting it was “time to debut a new 7” because the original is considered eternal.
Denmark, currently three points behind, will host Norway in their final group match.