Portugal needed an immediate response after the setback against Ireland, and they delivered in emphatic fashion. The Seleção produced a historic 9–1 demolition of Armenia at a rain-soaked Estádio da Luz, a night filled with chants, conviction and—yes—no Cristiano Ronaldo, who was suspended after his red card in Dublin.
The star wasn’t there, but the dominance was absolute. Portugal sealed their 2026 World Cup berth with authority, rhythm and a ruthless edge that few teams can match.

A Storm of Goals — Literally and On the Pitch

From the opening whistle, Roberto Martínez’s team took full control. Renato Veiga opened the scoring in the 7th minute, capitalizing on a rebound inside the box to net his first-ever goal for the national team.
But Armenia struck back quickly: Eduard Spertsyan made it 1–1 in the 18th minute after a defensive slip that left Diogo Costa exposed.

The equalizer lasted only minutes. Portugal flipped the switch and unleashed a full offensive storm.
Gonçalo Ramos pressed high to force a mistake and scored the 2–1, and moments later Vitinha Neves took over—first making it 3–1, then 4–1 after a lightning-fast transition.

Just before halftime, the referee awarded a penalty for a foul on Rúben Dias, and Bruno Fernandes buried the 5–1 with authority in stoppage time (45’+3).
The rain wouldn’t stop… and neither would Portugal.

Bruno Fernandes Takes Over the Night

The stand-in captain produced a performance for the ages. Bruno Fernandes completed a brilliant hat-trick: he scored early in the second half from a Ramos assist (51’) and added another penalty in the 72nd minute.
His influence drove a Portugal side that played with freedom, creativity and a ruthless instinct.

Late in the match, Portugal added two more: Vitinha Neves completed his own hat-trick, and Francisco Conceição closed the show with the ninth goal in stoppage time.

A Tribute Amid the Rain

In the 21st minute, the entire stadium rose to applaud and honor Diogo Jota, recently passed away—a deeply emotional moment that contrasted with the storm over Lisbon.
The tributes mixed with the goals, creating a night of nostalgia and celebration.

Portugal, Off to the World Cup

With this colossal victory, Portugal erased the doubts from their stumble against Ireland. The ticket to the 2026 World Cup is secured—and perhaps more importantly, the team proved they can destroy opponents even without Cristiano Ronaldo.