Portugal sweeps Armenia 9-1 – Ronaldo faces World Cup ban!

Portugal sweeps Armenia 9-1 – Ronaldo faces World Cup ban!

Portugal has become the fourth European team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The team scored an impressive 9-1 win against Armenia in Porto on November 16, 2025, with the first half ending in a resounding 6-1. Joao Neves and captain Bruno Fernandes were particularly convincing in this game, each scoring three goals. Fernandes scored twice from penalties, which further consolidated the clear success. England, France and Croatia had previously qualified for the tournament, while Ireland secured their place in the play-offs with a 3-2 win against Hungary.

The Hungarian team had led until the 80th minute before Ireland equalized and scored the decisive winning goal in stoppage time. This course of the game illustrates the tension and drama that qualifying games often bring with them.

Ronaldo not there

What is particularly noteworthy is that Cristiano Ronaldo was not on the pitch in this crucial game. The star player is missing due to a red card he received in the game against Ireland. This is leading to speculation about a possible suspension that could impact his participation in the first game of the 2026 World Cup. Experts and fans fear that Ronaldo could potentially miss a critical point in the main draw, which would affect team dynamics if the ban is imposed, as [Spiegel] reports.

However, the importance of this qualification for Portugal cannot be underestimated. The success in the last game shows the strength and potential of the team to show competitive performances even without its biggest stars. As World Cup preparations continue, Ronaldo's situation remains in the spotlight and his potential role in the tournament is being closely followed.

In summary, Portugal not only stands as one of the leading teams in Europe, but also shows a depth of squad depth that could potentially be crucial if they are to compete on the world stage next year. Fans will be eagerly waiting to see how the Cristiano Ronaldo situation develops, especially with the World Cup approaching.

The historical background of today's date is also noteworthy, as November 16th has represented various significant events in the past, from political to sporting. For example, Lionel Messi appeared for FC Barcelona in 2003 at the age of 16, marking the beginning of a legendary career that many football fans will remember, as [OnThisDay] makes clear.