Portugal have secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with an emphatic 9-1 victory over Armenia in Porto, despite missing Cristiano Ronaldo through suspension. The Portuguese side, however, made light work of their opponents, delivering one of their most dominant displays in recent international football.
The match began with a lightning-fast opener from Portugal in the seventh minute. Bruno Fernandes’ inswinging free-kick struck the post after a save from the Armenian goalkeeper, only for Renato Veiga to head home the rebound. Armenia responded instantly, with captain Eduard Spertsyan firing in a brilliant strike in the 18th minute to level the scores.
Portugal then turned the match into a one-sided affair. PSG forward Gonçalo Ramos capitalised on a defensive blunder to restore the lead, before João Neves and Fernandes added further goals, including a spectacular free-kick and a penalty for Fernandes. By half-time, Portugal were already 5-1 ahead.
The second half saw no let-up. Fernandes completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, while Neves added his second, and Veiga and Francisco Conceição also found the net, rounding off the 9-1 rout. Fernandes and Neves both scored hat-tricks, while the other goals came from Veiga, Ramos and Conceição.
With this win, Portugal top Group F with 13 points from six matches, securing direct qualification for the World Cup. This 9-1 triumph ranks as Portugal’s second-biggest ever international victory, only behind their 9-0 win over Luxembourg in Euro 2023 qualifying. Despite Ronaldo’s absence, Portugal’s attacking depth and cohesion ensured they dominated every phase of the game.