Cristiano Ronaldo shares 3-word message as Portugal begin 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with 5-0 win, ex-Brazil midfielder calls him ‘GOAT’

Sripad
Armenia v Portugal - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier - Source: Getty
Armenia v Portugal - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier - Source: Getty

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has shared a post on social media after scoring a brace in the FIFA World Cup qualifier win against Armenia. The Al-Nassr superstar was delighted with the team's performance after they sealed a stunning 5-0 win in their first match.

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Joao Felix opened the scoring for Portugal in the 10th minute, before Ronaldo scored the second of the game in the 21st minute and paid a tribute to Diogo Jota, who passed away in July. Joao Cancelo made it 3-0 right after the half-hour mark to give Robert Martinez's side a comfortable lead at half-time.

Ronaldo was on the scoresheet just seconds into the second half before Felix got his second goal of the game right after the hour mark. The UEFA Nations League champions held on to the 5-0 scoreline and top the group, which also includes Hungary and the Republic of Ireland.

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The former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward took to his social media accounts and posted a few photos from the game. He wrote a simple three-word caption, which read: First Step Taken.

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Fans from around the world were quick to shower their support for the Portugal star, but it was the comment from a former Brazilian footballer that caught everyone's eye. Jose Neto hailed Cristiano Ronaldo as the best of all time in his comment, putting him in the GOAT category in the history of football.

Roberto Martinez comments on Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal's performance

Portugal manager Roberto Martinez hepaed praise on Cristiano Ronaldo and the players after their thumping 5-0 win over Armenia. The manager acknowledged the importance of starting with a big win and performance, and said:

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"Yes. It's important to start well, grab the game and we did it. The attitude was exemplary, we controlled the game, we had a good rhyme and, after scoring the first one, it was another game that we also controlled with a lot of discipline, because we continue to try to score and keep the goal to zero. Overall, it was a complete performance."
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When asked if it was the perfect start to their FIFA World Cup qualifiers, he added:

"Yes. It is not easy to get to Armenia, prepare the game, but I had already said in the preview that the attitude of the players and the work during training was very good. And the result came from the performance we had. Now we have to recover well, because Hungary at home will be another challenge."

Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal will be back in action on Tuesday, when they face Hungary in the second match of the qualifiers.

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Edited by Sripad
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