Ruben Dias says Denmark defeat exposed Portugal’s weaknesses

Ruben Dias admitted Portugal were second best in their 4-1 defeat by Denmark in the Nations League, describing the result as a “lesson” for the group leaders before their final match against Wales.

The centre-back said Denmark deserved their victory in Saturday’s fifth-round meeting and that Portugal failed to match their opponents during decisive periods of the game.

“First of all, Denmark were better,” Dias told Portuguese newspaper O Jogo. “They have a team of great quality and we knew that. We needed to produce our best level to win, but they controlled important stages of the match.”

Denmark’s timing in front of goal also played a significant part, according to Dias. He said the opening goal, scored shortly before half-time, changed the nature of a contest that had been relatively even until that point.

“They also scored their goals at influential moments, such as the first one just before the end of the first half,” he said. “That changed the game to some extent, after it had been fairly balanced.”

Portugal struggled to recover after the interval, with Denmark adding two more goals as they attempted to regain their composure.

“In the second half, while we were trying to restore our balance, they scored the second and third goals, which frustrated us,” Dias added. “It is a lesson for us. We were not surprised by their level because we have faced them many times before, but we were not good enough and we have to perform better.”

Dias also identified Portugal’s problems in possession as a key factor behind their poor display. He said Denmark were able to use the ball in dangerous areas, while Portugal never looked comfortable when they had it.

“The problem began when they managed to have the ball in dangerous situations, while we could not feel comfortable in possession,” he said. “That drained us and created a lack of balance.”

“Everything started from that point, and then other problems emerged during the match.”

Despite the scale of the defeat, Dias insisted it did not erase the work Portugal had done earlier in the group. However, he acknowledged that the team’s ambition to win every match made the loss particularly significant.

“Defeat carries weight and has an impact, especially with the ambition we have to win every game,” he said. “We are top of the group, and reaching that position required a lot of work. We still have one match to secure what we have achieved.”

The defeat was Portugal’s first in the group. They remain top with 12 points, while Denmark moved to nine points. Norway climbed to six points after beating Wales 3-1 in the same round.

Portugal’s final match is against Wales on Tuesday, when Jorge Jesus’ side will aim to confirm their position at the top of the group. Dias said the team must use the loss to correct its mistakes before that game.