Portugal face Denmark without Ronaldo as Nations League reaches decisive stage

The final international window of the year will determine the Nations League quarter-final line-up, relegation play-offs and automatic demotion, with Portugal facing Denmark for the first time since Cristiano Ronaldo’s international retirement.

Matchdays five and six will settle the standings across Europe. The top two teams in each League A group will qualify for March’s quarter-finals, while third-placed sides will enter relegation play-offs. Teams finishing bottom will be relegated directly to League B.

Portugal sit top of Group A4 with a perfect record and need only one point against Denmark at the Estadio Municipal de Braga to secure top seeding. The match also marks a new phase for the Selecao, who are without Ronaldo after his international career ended with a record 234 caps and 146 goals, following recent friction with manager Jorge Jesus.

At 41, Ronaldo had been the central figure in Portuguese football for more than two decades. His absence gives Jesus the opportunity to reshape the side around the pace, pressing and movement of Rafael Leao, Goncalo Ramos and Pedro Neto.

Denmark and Erling Haaland’s Norway are competing for the group’s other quarter-final place, while winless Wales are attempting to avoid relegation.

Spain and England set for Madrid meeting

The most significant fixture of the window comes in Group A3, where Spain and England will meet at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid on Sunday.

Before then, both sides must negotiate difficult fixtures on Thursday. Spain travel to Prague to play Czechia without Lamine Yamal, who is unavailable because of knee discomfort sustained after Barcelona’s weekend action.

Luis de la Fuente is managing his squad with Sunday in mind, while Liverpool’s Victor Munoz has been brought in as late reinforcement. England host Croatia at Wembley, with Thomas Tuchel’s side needing three points to mathematically confirm a top-two finish.

Sunday’s game is a rematch of September’s meeting at Wembley, when Spain won 3-2 in an entertaining contest. Top seeding in Group A3 and momentum heading into the quarter-finals are at stake, making the match Tuchel’s biggest tactical examination yet against the reigning continental kings and world champions.

Italy and France meet in Milan

Italy and France provide another decisive contest on Thursday, meeting at San Siro in Group A1. Their previous encounter ended in a combative 1-1 draw in Saint-Denis, and victory for either side would secure top seeding for the quarter-finals. Belgium remain within reach should either team slip up.

In Group A2, Germany and the Netherlands renew their rivalry on Monday while level at the top of the group. Serbia and Greece, meanwhile, are battling to avoid the relegation places.

With qualification, seeding and survival all at stake, the Nations League’s concluding group matches leave little margin for error.