Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Portugal to a flawless start in their World Cup qualifiers, while Thomas Tuchel’s England remained unbeaten on Saturday.
Portugal, playing for the first time since the tragic loss of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva in a car accident, made a strong entry by defeating Armenia 5-0 in Yerevan.
A moment of silence was held before the match at Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium to honor Jota and his brother, who died in a crash in northern Spain on July 3, just 11 days after Jota’s wedding to Rute Cardoso, mother of his three children.
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo dazzled, scoring twice, including a stunning long-range shot, bringing his international goal tally to 140, over two decades since his first.
Joao Felix, Ronaldo’s new Al Nassr teammate, and Saudi-based Joao Cancelo, also scored, boosting Portugal to the top of Group F.
Portugal’s number 21
Cancelo celebrated his goal by pointing to the sky, honoring Jota’s signature celebration.
Lazio’s left-back Nuno Tavares remarked on the significance of Ronaldo’s 21st-minute goal, reflecting Jota’s national team shirt number.
“We’re thrilled because it shows Jota is still with us,” said the defender. “Ronaldo’s goal made that clear today.”
Ronaldo expressed on social media that this marked the “first step” towards his sixth World Cup.
Portugal will face Hungary next, who secured a 2-2 draw in Dublin against the Republic of Ireland despite being reduced to ten men.
Hungary nearly claimed victory until Adam Idah’s late equalizer for the hosts.
England maintained their unbeaten streak in Group K, winning 2-0 against Andorra at Villa Park, Birmingham.
Christian Garcia’s own-goal and Declan Rice’s header kept Tuchel’s team on track for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Despite the win, England’s performance raised questions about Tuchel’s capability to lead a trophy-winning team.
England showed efficiency but lacked creativity, leading to Tuchel’s frustration on the sidelines.
The subdued atmosphere was noted by Tuchel, who said: “The crowd is different from the Premier League crowd, affecting our focus.”
Looking forward to a stronger display, Tuchel anticipates a challenge against Serbia on Tuesday.
Serbia stands second in Group K after beating Latvia 1-0 in Riga.
Saturday’s matches ended with Marcel Sabitzer’s penalty securing Austria’s 1-0 win over Cyprus, and Bosnia-Hercegovina defeating San Marino 6-0 in Group H.
In total, 16 European teams will qualify for the World Cup.
The 12 group winners qualify directly, while the remaining spots are determined by play-offs among the 12 group runners-up for the expanded 48-team finals.
