Portugal has officially booked its place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after dismantling Armenia 9-1 in a one-sided qualifier on Sunday, bouncing back emphatically from their unexpected midweek loss to Ireland.
Even without suspended superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, the Seleção showed their depth and quality, led by sensational hat-tricks from Bruno Fernandes and João Neves. The victory cemented Portugal’s status as leaders of UEFA Group F and reaffirmed their dominance on the road to the World Cup.
Relentless first-half pressure
Portugal wasted no time asserting control, breaking the deadlock in the 7th minute. Armenia goalkeeper Henry Avagyan parried Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick onto the post, but Renato Veiga reacted sharply to nod in the rebound.
The visitors briefly stunned the Estádio da Luz when Eduard Spertsyan capitalised on defensive slackness to equalise in the 18th minute.
A touching minute of applause followed in honour of the late Diogo Jota, after which Portugal switched to full dominance.
Gonçalo Ramos punished a sloppy Armenian back pass to restore the lead, and João Neves made it 3-1 moments later with a brilliant first-time finish from outside the box.
Neves then curled in a world-class free-kick off the underside of the bar to stretch the advantage before half-time.
Portugal wasn’t done. Shortly before the break, Rúben Dias was hauled down in the area, and Fernandes calmly converted the resulting penalty for a commanding 5-1 halftime lead.
Fernandes turns the match into a masterclass
The second half continued with Portugal in full control. Fernandes added another goal in the 51st minute after clever build-up play by Ramos. He later completed his hat-trick from the spot after Carlos Forbs was fouled, showing his trademark composure.
Neves completes a historic treble
Armenia had no answers as João Neves scored his third with an athletic, acrobatic finish in the 81st minute, capping an unforgettable individual performance from the Benfica star.
Substitute Francisco Conceição wrapped up the rout with a well-taken goal late in the match, sealing Portugal’s emphatic 9-1 triumph and confirming their qualification for the 2026 World Cup in style.
With two players grabbing hat-tricks and the team firing on all cylinders, Portugal’s fans will head into 2026 with confidence—and plenty of expectations.