Portugal vs Norway: UEFA Nations League – Ronaldo latest, Haaland, teams

Who: Portugal vs Norway
What: UEFA Nations League 2026-27, Group A4 match
Where: Estadio bash Dragao, Porto, Portugal
When: Sunday, October 4, astatine 8:45pm section clip (18:45 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport volition bring you each the build-up and unrecorded updates from 15:45 GMT.

For the 2nd clip successful a week, Portugal and Norway clash successful the UEFA Nations League. But this time, things are not rather the aforesaid successful the Selecao camp.

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Sunday’s fixture successful Porto volition spot the Nations League rubric holders play without their talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, aft the 41-year-old abruptly near their camp, raising questions astir his planetary future.

Ronaldo’s melodramatic exit and evident rift with caller manager Jorge Jesus person dominated headlines worldwide. Portuguese players person mostly blocked the extracurricular noise, however, maintaining a cleanable grounds astatine the tourney wherever they are chasing a record-extending 3rd crown.

Opponents Norway person won conscionable 1 match, contempt boasting a talented broadside that defied expectations with a historic quarterfinal finish astatine this year’s FIFA World Cup.

However, their striker Erling Haaland – 1 of Europe’s astir lethal players – poses capable information to enactment Portugal nether unit up of this weekend’s thrilling encounter.

What is the UEFA Nations League?

The UEFA Nations League was founded successful 2018 to trim the fig of meaningless friendlies and springiness nations competitory matches against top-ranked teams.

In this competition, countries from crossed Europe enactment successful a league operation which features promotion and relegation.

What is the latest quality connected Cristiano Ronaldo?

Ronaldo near the squad precocious connected Wednesday, soon aft a quality league successful which manager Jesus confirmed the five-time Ballon d’Or victor would beryllium near retired of his starting line-up for a 2nd consecutive Nations League game.

The 41-year-old’s determination to locomotion retired came arsenic a daze arsenic helium had been owed to bid with his teammates astatine the Parken Stadium successful Copenhagen.

Portugal’s starring scorer with 146 goals had already spent the entirety of past weekend’s 2-1 Nations League triumph successful Norway connected the bench, having captained the broadside successful the 1-0 location triumph implicit Wales past Thursday.

He appeared to bespeak that the reasons down Jesus’s decision ran deeper and hinted astatine a departure from the nationalist squad helium has graced for much than 2 decades.

“In owed course, I volition archer the information to each the Portuguese radical astir my reasons for leaving the nationalist team, to which I person ever been dedicated,” Ronaldo said successful a cryptic Instagram post, announcing his abrupt exit from the camp.

Spanish sports regular Marca said that Jesus and Portuguese federation president Pedro Proenca followed Ronaldo to Copenhagen airdrome successful an effort to transportation him to enactment with the squad, earlier the subordinate boarded his backstage jet.

Jesus insisted earlier connected Wednesday that determination was nary rift betwixt them, though the 72-year-old, who was appointed successful July, acknowledged that his skipper was disappointed to stay connected the seat against Norway.

How person Portugal and Norway played successful the Nations League?

Portugal are connected apical of Group A4 connected 9 points, with 3 wins retired of three. They started their run with a 1-0 location triumph over Wales, earlier adding a 2-1 triumph implicit Norway successful Oslo. In the past match, they thrashed Denmark 4-2 successful Copenhagen.

Norway are second-bottom successful the group, with lone 3 points. They started their run with a 3-2 location triumph implicit chap Scandinavians Denmark but suffered identical 2-1 defeats astatine location to Portugal and to Wales successful Cardiff.

When did Portugal and Norway past meet?

They met successful matchday 2 of this year’s Nations League, with Portugal beating Norway 2-1 successful Oslo.

Joao Felix and Goncalo Ramos scored for Portugal, portion Haaland struck the consolation extremity for Norway.

Portugal vs Norway: Head-to-head

• Matches: 12
• Portugal wins: 9
• Norway wins: 1
• Draws: 2

Portugal vs Norway: Form guide

(Last 5 games, latest results first)

Portugal: W-W-W-L-W

Norway: L-L-W-L-W

Who are the apical players to watch?

Joao Felix and Goncalo Ramos (Portugal): Al Nassr guardant Felix has emerged arsenic the reliable scorer successful the Portugal setup, uncovering the nett successful each of the 3 games this term. Meanwhile, Ramos, playing successful spot of Ronaldo, has made up for CR7’s lack with goals successful the past 2 matches.

João Felix of Portugal has scored successful each Nations League crippled this play [File: Diogo Faria Reis/MB Media/Getty Images]

Erling Haaland and Oscar Bobb (Norway): All of Norway’s goals successful the ongoing contention person travel done Haaland (three) and Bobb (two). While their concern proved palmy successful the opening match, their goals were not capable successful the pursuing matches, arsenic the Norwegians suffered back-to-back defeats. Norwegians volition request amended from Haaland, particularly aft the Manchester City talisman’s unthinkable commencement to the nine play that features 7 goals successful arsenic galore games.

Team quality and predicted lineups

Portugal

Winger Francisco Conceicao is doubtful for the crippled owed to a thigh injury.

Probable Portugal XI: Diogo Costa; Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; Ruben Neves, Vitinha; Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leao; Goncalo Ramos

Norway

Wing-back Julian Ryerson is doubtful with a musculus injury, portion centre-back Torbjorn Heggem is suspended.

Probable Norway XI: Orjan Nyland; Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjorn Heggem, David Moller Wolfe; Martin Odegaard, Sander Berge, Patrick Berg; Oscar Bobb, Erling Haaland, Antonio Nusa

Norwegians request Erling Haaland to beryllium connected the scoresheet if they are to bushed Portugal [File: Marius Nordnes / Nordnes Foto/Getty Images]

Portugal vs Norway: TV channel, livestreaming

• Portugal
• Norway
• United Kingdom: ITV1
• United States: FOX Sports, FuboTV, ViX
• India: Sony Sports Network
• Middle East and North Africa: beIN SPORTS
• South Africa: DStv Stream

You tin find your determination broadcaster connected UEFA’s authoritative broadcaster listing.