Is Cristiano Ronaldo playing? That is the question on everyone’s mind as Portugal prepares to open their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with an away trip to Armenia. For Roberto Martinez’s men, it is more than just a match—it is the start of a journey toward the one trophy missing from their growing collection.
But for Portugal, this international break carries a deeper weight. The passing of forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva in a car accident in June left a hole in the squad, and Saturday’s clash at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium promises to be as emotional as it is competitive.
The hosts enter the fixture in a period of transition. After failing to win any of his first four games, Dutch coach John van ’t Schip was sacked and replaced by Armenian manager Yegishe Melikyan. His task is monumental: Armenia is currently ranked 105th in FIFA’s world rankings and has never qualified for a World Cup as an independent nation.
Still, there are sparks of hope. Creative midfielder Lucas Zelarayan and forward Eduard Spertsyan, who has scored three goals in his last two outings, will look to trouble Portugal’s backline. But with captain Varazdat Haroyan retiring in June and injuries to key players such as Narek Grigoryan, Armenia will need a near-perfect display to upset their illustrious opponents.
Portugal’s emotional return
For Portugal, Saturday marks their first match since lifting the UEFA Nations League title in June, beating Spain on penalties to secure their third major trophy in nine years. That triumph, added to their Euro 2016 success, has elevated expectations that they can finally conquer the world stage next year in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Yet qualification is far from a formality. Portugal has required a playoff in three of the last four World Cups, something Martinez will be desperate to avoid this time. Group F, which includes Hungary and the Republic of Ireland, should be navigable—but only if they start strong.
Armenia vs Portugal: Predicted lineups
And so, to the question every fan asked: Is Cristiano Ronaldo playing? The answer is yes. At 40 years old, the world’s all-time leading international scorer remains central to the Lusos’ plans. Ronaldo enters the match with five goals in four games against Armenia, including that famous hat-trick in 2015. He has also begun the new season brightly with two goals for Al-Nassr, and Martinez clearly values both his leadership and his goalscoring instincts.
Portugal’s expected XI is stacked with quality. According to reports, they will line up in a 4-3-3: Costa; Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Antonio Silva, Mendes; Fernandes, Ruben Neves, Bernardo Silva; Francisco Conceicao, Ronaldo, Neto.
Armenia’s expected XI (5-4-1): Cancarevic; Hovhannisyan, Mkrtchyan, Arutyunyan, Muradyan, Tiknizyan; Bichakhchyan, Iwu, Dashyan, Zelarayan; Barseghyan.
