BRAGA (Portugal), Nov 14 — Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva said yesterday his team could cope with any extra pressure on them following Cristiano Ronaldo’s international retirement, ahead of their first match without the superstar forward.

Jorge Jesus’s side host Denmark in Braga on Saturday in the Nations League, with a tribute planned for their all-time leading goalscorer.

Real Madrid’s Silva, who inherits the captain’s armband from Ronaldo, admitted that the striker had been the main focus for much of the past two decades but backed the team to cope with the pressure in the 41-year-old’s absence.

“Everyone knows the weight Cristiano carries. Most people went to the stadium to see Cristiano, many went just for him, and that’s not going to happen now,” Silva told reporters.