Portugal come off a dominant 9-1 victory over Armenia, a result that showcased their depth and composure even without Cristiano Ronaldo, their all-time leading scorer and greatest player. With that emphatic performance, the Portuguese secured their direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup, taking full control of their path to the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
On social media, Cristiano Ronaldo expressed his excitement and pride after Portugal sealed their spot. “ESTAMOS NO MUNDIAL! VAMOS COM TUDO, PORTUGAL!,” he wrote in Portuguese, in a message that translates to English as: “WE ARE IN THE WORLD CUP! LET’S GO ALL-IN, PORTUGAL!.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, with his participation in the 2026 World Cup, is set to reach his sixth appearance— and he has already hinted that it will be his final one, signaling that retirement may be approaching. Even though he has said that winning a World Cup does not define the greatest player of all time, it is clear he still dreams of lifting the trophy.
With Ronaldo all but confirmed for the upcoming World Cup, he now sets his sights on breaking yet another record. He is only two goals away from surpassing Portuguese legend Eusebio’s mark of eight World Cup goals, giving him a chance to become Portugal’s top scorer in World Cup history.
The victory that sent Portugal to the World Cup
Ronaldo congratulated his teammates for the remarkable victory they earned — a result that could hardly be more deserved. The 9-1 scoreline was overwhelming and may go down as one of the most dominant wins in Portugal’s history.
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The win featured a brilliant hat trick from Joao Neves, who also scored a stunning free-kick goal, along with a hat trick from Bruno Fernandes, who delivered a phenomenal performance and fully showcased his leadership throughout the match.
Portugal will arrive at the World Cup with a generation that shows enormous promise and positions them as one of the clear contenders for the sport’s most prestigious trophy. Delivering such a dominant result without their biggest star, Cristiano Ronaldo, and without one of their best players in Nuno Mendes, is the kind of statement that should make opponents nervous.
