Jorge Jesus celebrates perfect Portugal start after Nations League quarter-final qualification

Jorge Jesus has hailed Portugal’s perfect start to their Nations League campaign after four consecutive victories secured their place in the quarter-finals with two group matches still to play.

Jesus, who took charge of the national team before the competition, marked the achievement in a post on Instagram on Tuesday. Alongside several photographs from the four matches, he wrote: “We have finished this stage with an excellent result. Four matches, four wins (against Wales, Denmark and two against Norway)! Let’s begin the next stage – we are confident!”

Portugal needed only four matches to confirm their progress to the last eight, with their latest victory over Norway completing an ideal opening spell for Jesus in his first games as national team manager.

The four wins have taken Portugal to 12 points at the top of Group 4 in League A of the Nations League. They need only one more point to guarantee they finish the group in first place.

Denmark’s narrow victory over Wales has left the race for second place open to every team in the group. The runners-up will also qualify for the quarter-finals.

Portugal’s achievement is not limited to reaching the knockout stage early. Their 100% record represents the best opening after four rounds in the history of their Nations League campaigns.

They have surpassed their previous best total of 10 points, recorded during the 2020/21 and 2024/25 editions of the competition.

The comparison does not include the inaugural 2018/19 Nations League campaign on the same basis, because the groups contained only three teams at that time. Portugal went on to win the title in that edition, before repeating the achievement in 2025.

Jesus’ message came after his side’s fourth successive victory, which placed them in a commanding position at the summit and left Portugal within touching distance of confirming top spot in the group.