Portugal came into the game against Armenia needing a win after their defeat to Ireland. Although coach Roberto Martinez had some key players missing from his usual lineup, he managed to make his team the most solid on the field. With their impressive high pressure, they forced their opponents into serious defensive errors that led to a record 9-1 victory, securing their place in the 2026 World Cup. In response, Cristiano Ronaldo sent a short but heartfelt message.
Although Cristiano Ronaldo was unable to play in Portugal’s match against Armenia, the veteran showed himself to be quite active around the game. Before the match, he sent a message of encouragement, and after securing their place in the 2026 World Cup, he posted a short message on his social media accounts. “WE ARE IN THE WORLD CUP! LET’S GO ALL-IN, PORTUGAL!,” he said via X, formerly Twitter.
Cristiano Ronaldo, despite today’s absence, led Portugal to their seventh consecutive World Cup, marking a legendary era. In addition, the veteran has been the most transformative figure in the history of the national team, going from participating in 3 of 11 UEFA Euro and 3 of 17 World Cup before his debut to participating in 6 of 6 UEFA Euro and 6 of 6 World Cup and winning three titles with him at the helm, reports MisterChip via X.
With only one defeat in the UEFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Portugal arrive as one of the favorites to win the coveted title. Since Roberto Martinez took over, the national team has played an attractive, attacking game, with Vitinha and Joao Neves dictating the tempo. Furthermore, Cristiano’s absence has shown that they have plenty of firepower even without the veteran, promising a great tournament.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal applauds the fans.
Cristiano may look towards a stunning run in 2026 World Cup
Although Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly one of the best players in soccer history, the Portuguese star has failed to shine in the World Cup . Despite being one of the sport’s top scorers, he has scored only one goal in each of the four tournaments (2006, 2010, 2014, and 2022). His best individual performance came in the 2018 edition, where he scored four goals. For this reason, the veteran could seek to improve his record, highlighting his scoring ability in the 2026 edition.
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With a hattrick from Bruno and Neves, Portugal finally seal their 2026 World Cup spot with a jaw-dropping 9-1 win over Armenia
Cristiano and Messi are on track to shatter a record at the 2026 World Cup
With their qualification for the 2026 World Cup today, Portugal have finally managed to join Argentina, which secured its place quite some time ago. With both teams leading the way, the tournament is set to be one of the most interesting in history, as it will be the last appearance for Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, as already announced by both players. With this in mind, they are on track to break a historic record in the tournament.
Cristiano and Messi have not yet confirmed their participation in the tournament with Portugal and Argentina, respectively, prioritizing their physical condition. However, both have expressed their desire to compete in the 2026 World Cup, revealing their intentions to participate. If they take part with their national teams, they would become the players with the most appearances in the history of the tournament, with six each.
