Portugal Qualifies for 2026 World Cup with 9-1 Win Over Armenia

Portugal secured its place at the 2026 World Cup with a commanding 9-1 victory over Armenia on Sunday at Estádio do Dragão in Porto, ensuring Cristiano Ronaldo will compete in a record sixth edition of the tournament despite his absence from the match due to suspension.

The win came after a surprising 2-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland earlier in the week, where Ronaldo received a red card for violent conduct after elbowing defender Dara O'Shea. That loss left Portugal needing a strong result to clinch first place in Group F and avoid the playoffs. Without their captain and all-time leading scorer, the team responded emphatically. Bruno Fernandes and João Neves each recorded hat tricks, with Fernandes converting two penalties. Renato Veiga, Gonçalo Ramos and Francisco Conceição added the other goals, marking Portugal's largest margin of victory in World Cup qualifying history.

Coach Roberto Martinez praised the squad's depth and resilience. "We are better with Ronaldo, Nuno Mendes and Pedro Neto," he said, referring to the absences of the injured left back and winger alongside the suspended forward. "The most important thing is that football is a game of mistakes, challenges...