"It was our best performance so far," Vitinha told SPORT1, in comments translated from German, after Portugal's 4-2 win over Denmark on the third matchday of the Nations League. It was Portugal's first match after Cristiano Ronaldo left the squad, and both the midfielder and Jorge Jesus framed the night in Copenhagen as a genuine step forward rather than just a chaotic response.

There was noise around the game before kickoff and around the dugout during it. The Portugal fans who had travelled for Denmark vs Portugal whistled Jorge Jesus, while other sections of the support celebrated him. By full time, the football had given him a stronger case than any argument in the stands.

Portugal's response after Ronaldo

Vitinha's line on the performance was backed by his own contribution. He scored once and finished with a 7.9 rating, the kind of all-round game that matched his influence on the night. Portugal also made their chances count, finishing with four goals in an away win that could easily have become tense given the backdrop.

SPORT1 also carried another Vitinha quote that captured the mood inside the squad. "The reaction to the Ronaldo upheaval? Also excellent. No, even as good as possible."

That still needs treating carefully. Portugal did not win simply because Ronaldo was gone, and the evidence does not support that leap. What can be said is that the team handled the disruption well and played with clarity. Vitinha said: "The team had tried to focus on the game, and we did that too."

The attack spread the load. Gonçalo Ramos finished with 1 goal and 1 assist, while Bruno Fernandes created 5 key passes and supplied 2 assists. Portugal were not short of a focal point, and they were not short of service either.

Denmark still had enough threat to keep the scoreline honest. Rasmus Højlund was among the danger points for the home side, which is another reason the result landed well for Portugal. This was not a sterile control exercise. It was an open game and Portugal had more quality in the decisive moments.

Jorge Jesus's attacking explanation

Jesus offered a straightforward football reason for the jump in level. Speaking to SPORT1 in comments translated from German, he said: "For me, this was the best game so far, which is normal, however, since we had already had more time to train."

He then got more specific: "I was able to work on positional attack." That is a more convincing explanation than turning the whole result into a referendum on Ronaldo. Coaches usually reach for shape and spacing first, and Portugal's best attacking moments fit that description.

Jesus even named the examples he wanted people to see. "Goncalo Ramos's goal was a great example of a positional attack, as was Félix's."

The numbers support that reading. Ramos gave Portugal both a goal and an assist, and João Félix scored 1 goal in 9 minutes off the bench. Fernandes' 2 assists and 5 key passes show how often Portugal found the final ball once they got into the right areas.

Vitinha also used the game to back his coach. "The coach's work is bearing fruit, it is very clear," he said. In a week dominated by Ronaldo's exit, that probably mattered as much inside the camp as the final score mattered outside it.

The result Portugal can actually build on

One strong night does not settle every question around this squad or its management. It does, though, give Portugal a much better platform than another debate about who was absent. They had already won three straight games in all competitions before this one, and the 4-2 in Copenhagen pushed that run on with a far louder attacking display.

The most persuasive part of the night was how many routes Portugal had to goal. Vitinha scored, Ramos contributed a goal and an assist, Félix changed the game quickly from the bench, and Fernandes kept feeding the attack. When a coach talks about positional play and the players can point to those details after a 4-2 away win, the explanation sounds pretty credible.

Portugal leave Denmark with a 4-2 win, their first result since Ronaldo left the squad, and both player and coach insisting it was their best display so far.

FAQ

Why did Vitinha call Portugal's win over Denmark their best performance so far?

Vitinha said Portugal's 4-2 win over Denmark was their best performance so far because the side stayed focused after Cristiano Ronaldo left the squad and produced a strong attacking display. He also scored, posted a 7.9 rating, and praised Jorge Jesus, saying the coach's work was bearing fruit.

What did Jorge Jesus mean by Portugal's positional attack after the Denmark game?

Jorge Jesus said Portugal had more time to train and that he was able to work on positional attack. He pointed to Gonçalo Ramos's goal and João Félix's goal as examples of the pattern he wanted. Portugal scored four times, with Bruno Fernandes creating five key passes and supplying two assists.

Did Portugal play better without Cristiano Ronaldo against Denmark?

Portugal's players and coach framed the 4-2 win that way after the match, but the evidence supports timing and improvement rather than a clean cause-and-effect claim. It was Portugal's first game after Ronaldo left the squad, and both Vitinha and Jorge Jesus called it their best display so far.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →