Article by Romeo Ene – Published on Sunday, 16 November 2025, 20:35 / Updated on Sunday, 16 November 2025 20:39
Without Cristiano Ronaldo (40 years old), suspended due to the red card he received with Ireland, Portugal crushed Armeniascore 9-1, and qualified in style for the 2026 World Championship. It was a game in which two players managed a hat-trick each. It's about Joao Neves (21), the PSG midfielder, and Bruno Fernandes (31), the Manchester United star.
The two Portuguese made it possible to reach this milestone for the third time in the history of the national team, according to abola.pt.
Bruno Fernandes and Joao Neves made history in Portugal – Armenia 9-1
Bruno Fernandes and Joao Neves stood out and scored three goals each in Portugal's 9-1 win over Armenia.
The PSG midfielder scored in the 30th, 41st and 81st minutes. Manchester United's captain scored in the 45th + 3rd, 51st and 72nd minutes. Two hat-tricks in the same match have existed for the Portuguese national team before, but it hasn't happened in 22 years.
The last performance of this kind had been recorded on November 19, 2003, in a friendly match between Portugal and Kuwait played at the Estadio Municipal de Leiria.
It was the first match played at that stadium after the modernization done for Euro 2004. It ended 8-0 for Portugal, Pauleta and Nuno Gomes being the decisive players.
The Azores striker, formerly Portugal's top scorer ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, scored four times in that match. Nuno Gomes managed a 'triple' in 18 minutes and the great Luis Figo also scored once.
It has happened only three times in the history of the Portuguese national team
In over 103 years of history there have only been three times when two players scored three or more goals in a single match for the Portuguese national team.
The first situation was in 1999, in the Euro 2000 qualifiers. Portugal played Liechtenstein and won 8-0. Ricardo Sa Pinto and Joao Vieira Pinto scored three goals each. Rui Costa scored the other two.
Portugal's final group standings. Hungary is OUT!
