Cristiano Ronaldo took a big step towards playing in a record sixth World Cup after Portugal beat Ireland 1-0 in their Group F qualifier match on Sunday.
However, the 40-year-old was far from his best as he missed from the spot late in the game, but was saved from his blushes after Ruben Neves netted a winner in the first minute of added time.
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The win against Ireland helped Portugal maintain its perfect record in the qualifying competition, and took it to the top of the standings with nine points.
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Hungary is second with four.
Portugal can book its spot in the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico next year if it beats Hungary on Wednesday and Armenia drops points against Ireland.
Published on Oct 12, 2025
