Dias calls Portugal’s 4-1 loss to Denmark a warning before Wales match

Ruben Dias says Portugal must learn from their 4-1 defeat by Denmark after the Nations League leaders were unable to cope with their opponents during key stages of the game.

Denmark deserved their victory in Saturday’s fifth group-stage fixture, according to the Portugal defender, who admitted his side did not perform well enough despite having faced their opponents several times before.

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

Denmark struck just before half-time, a moment Dias felt changed the balance of the contest after what had been a relatively even opening.

“They scored their goals at influential moments, including the first one right before the break,” he said. “That changed the nature of the game to some extent, after the play had been fairly balanced.”

Portugal attempted to recover after half-time but conceded twice more, leaving them frustrated and unable to regain control.

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

Dias identified Portugal’s problems in possession as a major reason for their loss of control.

“The problem began when they were able to keep the ball in dangerous areas, while we did not feel comfortable when we had possession,” he said. “That drained us and created an imbalance.”

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

Despite the heavy defeat, Dias said it did not erase Portugal’s progress in the group. However, he stressed that the team’s ambition to win every match meant the result had to be taken seriously.

“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 confirm what we have achieved.”

Portugal’s loss was their first in the group under manager Jorge Jesus. They remain top with 12 points, while Denmark moved on to nine. Norway climbed to six points after beating Wales 3-1 in Saturday’s other fixture.

Portugal’s final match is against Wales on Tuesday, when they will seek to secure top spot. Dias said the squad must use the defeat to correct its mistakes before that game.