CRISTIANO RONALDO HELPED an emotional Portugal enjoy a perfect start to their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Portugal, playing for the first time since the death of their Liverpool forward Diogo Jota along with his brother Andre Silva in a car accident, took an impressive first step to the finals next year sweeping aside Armenia 5-0 in Yerevan.
Both teams observed one minute’s silence before kick-off at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in tribute to Jota and his brother who were killed in a crash in northern Spain on July 3, 11 days after Jota had married Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children.
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Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo was in sparkling form, Portugal’s irrepressible 40-year-old talisman scoring in either half, the second a sizzling shot from distance, to take his record international tally to 140 goals, over two decades after his first.
A brace from Joao Felix, Ronaldo’s new teammate at Saudi side Al Nassr, and a contribution from another Saudi-based player Joao Cancelo lifted Roberto Martinez’s Nations League winners into a Group F lead.
Cancelo marked his goal by pointing to the skies with both hands in memory of Jota’s goal celebration.
Lazio left-back Nuno Tavares believed Ronaldo’s 21st-minute goal held special significance as 21 was the shirt number worn by Jota when playing for his country.
“We’re all very happy because it shows he’s (Jota) with us, that he was there, and that moment, Ronaldo’s goal, was made possible. He’ll always be with us, as was clear today,” said the defender.
Ronaldo said on social media it was the “first step taken” in his quest to appear at a sixth World Cup.
The Republic of Ireland took on Hungary in the other fixture in the pool, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
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Emotional night for Portugal as Ronaldo helps ensure winning start to World Cup qualifying
Portugal 5
Armenia 0
CRISTIANO RONALDO HELPED an emotional Portugal enjoy a perfect start to their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Portugal, playing for the first time since the death of their Liverpool forward Diogo Jota along with his brother Andre Silva in a car accident, took an impressive first step to the finals next year sweeping aside Armenia 5-0 in Yerevan.
Both teams observed one minute’s silence before kick-off at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in tribute to Jota and his brother who were killed in a crash in northern Spain on July 3, 11 days after Jota had married Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children.
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo was in sparkling form, Portugal’s irrepressible 40-year-old talisman scoring in either half, the second a sizzling shot from distance, to take his record international tally to 140 goals, over two decades after his first.
A brace from Joao Felix, Ronaldo’s new teammate at Saudi side Al Nassr, and a contribution from another Saudi-based player Joao Cancelo lifted Roberto Martinez’s Nations League winners into a Group F lead.
Cancelo marked his goal by pointing to the skies with both hands in memory of Jota’s goal celebration.
Lazio left-back Nuno Tavares believed Ronaldo’s 21st-minute goal held special significance as 21 was the shirt number worn by Jota when playing for his country.
“We’re all very happy because it shows he’s (Jota) with us, that he was there, and that moment, Ronaldo’s goal, was made possible. He’ll always be with us, as was clear today,” said the defender.
Ronaldo said on social media it was the “first step taken” in his quest to appear at a sixth World Cup.
The Republic of Ireland took on Hungary in the other fixture in the pool, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
– © AFP 2025
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