Cristiano Ronaldo set for record 6th WC, Italy in danger again and Ireland make playoffs

Portugal’s Joao Neves celebrates after scoring his side’s fourth goal

Cristiano Ronaldo is heading to another World Cup. Erling Haaland is going to his first. Italy risks missing out on sport’s biggest global event for the third straight edition.

Portugal sealed its place at next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico with a 9-1 rout of Armenia last weekend.

Haaland scored twice as Norway confirmed qualification with a 4-1 win against four-time world champion Italy, which was consigned to the playoffs.

Ireland is also in the playoffs after a stunning late comeback to beat Hungary 3-2, while England ended its qualifying campaign with a 100% record by beating Albania 2-0.

Record-breaking Ronaldo

Without the suspended Ronaldo, Portugal ensured the soccer great would have the chance to appear at a record sixth World Cup.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner will be 41 by the time the tournament kicks off next June and Ronaldo recently said it would be his last shot at winning the one major title to elude him. Assuming he retains his fitness, he is expected to be part of coach Roberto Martinez’s squad, though he may yet be suspended for as many as two matches after being sent off in Portugal’s 2-0 loss to Ireland on Thursday.

That surprise defeat meant Portugal had to beat Armenia to be certain of top place in Group F and hat tricks from Bruno Fernandes and Joao Neves ensured there would be no slipup.

“Today we saw our team back to its best: committed, supportive and executing the game plan excellently,” Martinez told broadcaster RTP.

Ronaldo and his great rival Lionel Messi will both appear at their sixth World Cup if they take part in next year’s tournament.

They will surpass greats like Germany’s Lothar Mattheus, who appeared in five.

Defending champion Argentina has already secured its place.

Messi fulfilled his career-long ambition by leading Argentina to the title in Qatar in 2022.

Ronaldo, who has won the European Championship and two Nations League titles with Portugal, is still to add a World Cup to a trophy haul that includes five Champions Leagues and league titles in England, Spain and Italy.

Though he is nearing the end of his career and has left top-flight European soccer behind to play in Saudi Arabia, he has continued to further embellish his remarkable career.

He led Portugal to the Nations League earlier this year and last month became the leading scorer in World Cup qualifying games with 41 goals.

Suspension denied him the chance to add to that tally Sunday, but there was no shortage of goals from Portugal in his absence.

Fernandes’ hat trick included two penalties. Neves struck twice in the first half and completed his treble with a goal in the 81st.

Italy on the edge

Having missed out on the 2018 and 2022 editions of the World Cup, Italy’s place is in doubt again.

Only victory by nine goals or more would have been enough to see the Italians overtake Norway at the top of Group I.

That was never likely against a Norway team that had a perfect record in qualifying going into Sunday’s game in Milan and ended its campaign in style.

Despite going behind to Francesco Pio Esposito’s early goal, four goals in the second half — Haaland scored in the 78th and 79th — turned the game around for Norway.

Now Italy faces the 16-team UEFA playoffs, which will determine the last four European nations to advance to the World Cup.

Ireland comeback

An unforgettable week for Ireland was capped off with a dramatic fightback in Hungary.

Troy Parrott scored a hat trick — including a winner in the sixth minute of added time — to send Ireland to the playoffs in second place in Group F.

Ireland’s Troy Parrott, right, celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal

Parrott struck both goals in the 2-0 win over Portugal and with Ireland trailing 2-1 going into the 80th minute at the Puskas Arena, he proved his country’s hero again.

Perfect England

England ended its qualifying campaign with a 100% record by beating second-placed Albania 2-0. Thomas Tuchel’s team won its eight games in Group K and didn’t concede a single goal.

England star Jude Bellingham appeared unhappy at being substituted in the closing stages of the match. Tuchel said Bellingham had “to accept it, respect it, and keep on going.”

The Three Lions’ all-time leading scorer Harry Kane got both goals Sunday to extend his record to 78. The Bayern Munich forward struck twice in eight minutes in the second half to break Albania’s resistance.

Victory ended Thomas Tuchel’s first qualifying campaign as coach in perfect style after the German was hired to lead England at the World Cup, with the challenge of ending its decades-long wait for a major trophy.

Ukraine makes playoffs

Ukraine finished second in Group D and is through to the playoffs after beating Iceland 2-0.

Group winner France beat Azerbaijan 3-1, having gone behind after four minutes to Renat Dadashov’s opener. JAMES ROBSON, MDT/AP

Teams which have qualified for
the 2026 World Cup

Norway’s Erling Haaland

A record 48 teams will play in the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

On Sunday, Portugal and Norway sealed places at the global event. Without the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal routed Armenia 9-1 to ensure the soccer great would have the chance to appear at a record sixth World Cup. Norway beat four-time World Cup champion Italy 4-1.

A total of 43 teams will earn places through continental qualifying tournaments. Another two will secure places in the intercontinental playoffs featuring six teams and scheduled for March in Mexico. The three host countries automatically qualify.

Asia has eight direct places and one in the intercontinental playoff.

Africa has nine direct spots plus one for the intercontinental playoff.

North and Central America and the Caribbean get three direct berths (plus the three host nations) and another two spots in the intercontinental playoffs.

South America has six direct spots and will send another team to the intercontinental playoffs.

Oceania for the first time has a guaranteed spot — New Zealand clinched that in March. It could add another with New Caledonia going into the intercontinental playoffs.

Europe will have 16 teams sure to play in the World Cup.