"Ronaldo did not deserve this": global reactions to Portugal's "humiliation"

Cristiano Ronaldo's night of celebration during the Portugal versus Denmark match turned into a dark night for the side coached by Jorge Jesus, who suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat in Braga in the UEFA Nations League. It even became a dark night that spoiled the remarkable atmosphere among the supporters with which the match had begun.

With their captain absent, the players walked out in shirts bearing the name "Ronaldo" and the number 7, and the crowd raised a banner reading "Thank you, captain". Then the celebration curdled into jeers and anger as the scoreline stretched away from them.

Newspapers around the world pounced on the match. Spain's AS cut deepest, opting for a blunt headline: "Cristiano did not deserve this". The cold tribute from players and crowd, followed by a heavy defeat, was no way to treat a legend who gave 23 years to the national team.

Marca handed Denmark the title of true recipient of the tribute, a nod to the visitors' total dominance and the four goals they struck on a night meant for Ronaldo's farewell. The Spanish paper also tied the result to the dawn of the post-Cristiano era, branding it a disaster.

Catalan daily Sport reached the same verdict, writing: "Portugal humiliated at Cristiano's tribute ceremony". The paper zeroed in on the gulf between the official celebration of the legend and the team's complete collapse against a Danish side that punished every Portuguese mistake.

Over in Italy, La Gazzetta dello Sport dwelt on Portugal's feeble display without Ronaldo, running the headline: "A bad look for Portugal without CR7: a devilish Hojlund and Denmark score four goals". The paper added that Norway still have a chance in the group.

France's L'Equipe summed up the night in one brutal line: "A new era: a heavy defeat". Portugal's first test after Ronaldo's departure had ended in a clear collapse against Denmark, rather than a promising start for a new generation.

Back home in Portugal, the press showed no more mercy. O Jogo wrote that the night became a "nightmare" despite being dedicated to Ronaldo, while A Bola asked: "What happened, Portugal?", then branded the loss a "humiliation" in Braga. Publico landed a withering line of its own: "Ronaldo did not attend the tribute ceremony, and neither did Portugal", a dig at the legend's absence from the pitch and the team's fading performance in front of its own crowd.

British outlets joined in. BBC Sport called the result a "humiliation for Portugal", and the Guardian honed in on Denmark's clear superiority. talkSPORT went further still, labelling the loss an "unprecedented insult" in the national team's history and Portugal's biggest official defeat on home soil.

The backlash spilled well beyond the newspapers. Campaigns backing Ronaldo sprang up on social media under the slogan "Never disrespect Cristiano Ronaldo", with one comment reading: "Without Ronaldo there is no party", a nod to the void his absence left on the tribute night.

Brazilian site UOL seized on the clash between the tribute atmosphere and the heavy defeat. It also carried comments from Jorge Jesus, who refused to pin the loss on Ronaldo's absence while admitting the team's defensive problems.