Portugal secured their place at the 2026 World Cup in convincing fashion. Playing without Cristiano Ronaldo, who was absent due to a red card in the previous match, the Selecao actually put in their most productive performance of the entire qualifying campaign, thrashing Armenia 9-1.
Sunday, November 16, 2025, this match in Lisbon showed a strong response after the shocking defeat to Ireland midweek.
The pressure eased early when a Bruno Fernandes set-piece led to a chance converted by Renato Veiga, before Armenia equalized with a quick attack in the 18th minute. Portugal then found their rhythm and attacked relentlessly.
Joao Neves and Bruno Fernandes emerged as creative powerhouses and goal machines, each scoring hat tricks. Their aggressive, intense, and varied play left Armenia, ranked 104th in the world, unable to respond.
Portugal’s collective performance was also bolstered by the contributions of Goncalo Ramos and the introduction of several substitutes who made an immediate impact.
This victory places Portugal as the top of Group F of the 2026 UEFA World Cup Qualifying Zone, confirming that Ronaldo’s absence does not diminish their ability to dominate on the international stage.