Cristiano Ronaldo and Saudi Pro League stars shine as Portugal pay tribute to Diogo Jota

All five goals scored by SPL players as Ronaldo, Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo hit target in World Cup qualifier against Armenia

Al Nassr players Cristiano Ronaldo, right, and Joao Felix scored twice each against Armenia. AP

Cristiano Ronaldo helped an emotional Portugal make a strong start to World Cup qualifying, but Thomas Tuchel's England continue to underwhelm.

Portugal, playing for the first time since the death of their Liverpool forward Diogo Jota along with his brother Andre Silva in a car accident, took an impressive first step to the finals next year by sweeping aside Armenia 5-0 in Yerevan on Saturday.

Both teams observed a minute's silence before kick-off at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in tribute to Jota and his brother who were killed in a crash in northern Spain on July 3, 11 days after Jota had married Rute Cardoso, the mother of his three children.

Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo was in sparkling form, Portugal's 40-year-old talisman scoring in either half. The second was a sizzling shot from distance to take his record international tally to 140 goals, over two decades after his first. He now has 942 career goals and remains on course to reach his stated target of 1,000.

A brace from Joao Felix, Ronaldo's new teammate at Saudi side Al Nassr, and a contribution from another Saudi-based player Joao Cancelo of Al Hilal lifted Roberto Martinez's Nations League winners top of Group F.

Cancelo marked his goal by pointing to the skies with both hands in memory of Jota's goal celebration.

Lazio left-back Nuno Tavares believed Ronaldo's 21st-minute goal held special significance as 21 was the shirt number worn by Jota when playing for his country.

“We're all very happy because it shows [Jota] is with us, that he was there, and that moment, Ronaldo's goal, was made possible. He'll always be with us, as was clear today,” said the defender.

Ronaldo said on social media it was the “first step taken” in his quest to appear at a record sixth World Cup.

Portugal's next opponents on Tuesday are Hungary, who despite playing the last 30 minutes a man down secured a 2-2 draw in Dublin against the Republic of Ireland.

Hungary were on their way to take all three points until Adam Idah's equaliser in the third minute of added time for the hosts.

Tuchel fails to inspire

England extended their unbeaten run in Group K to four matches but hardly set the world alight in defeating modest Andorra 2-0 at Villa Park in Birmingham.

Christian Garcia's first-half own-goal was followed by Declan Rice's header to keep Tuchel's team firmly on course for the 2026 football fiesta in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

But while the Three Lions will be more than satisfied with their 12 points this was in truth another underwhelming display that raised questions about Tuchel's ability to produce a trophy-winning team from a gifted generation.

England were efficient but unspectacular, lacking guile and intelligence in the final third. No wonder Tuchel wore a frustrated expression on the touchline.

Claiming the subdued crowd played a role in the display, the German said: “It's difficult because it's a very different crowd to a Premier League crowd. After the first goal we had 10 or 15 minutes with too many ball losses and lost our focus and concentration but in the second half, we found it again and should have scored more.”

The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss will want a more purposeful performance in the toughest test of his reign on Tuesday when England face their main Group K rivals Serbia.

“We've learnt a lot and I'm glad for the players. Now we will prove a point in Belgrade,” said Tuchel. The Serbs sit second in the Mini-League on seven points after edging Latvia 1-0 in Riga.

Saturday's action concluded with Marcel Sabitzer's 54th-minute penalty earning Austria a 1-0 home win over Cyprus, and Bosnia-Herzegovina routing San Marino 6-0 in Group H.

In total, 16 European nations will qualify for the World Cup.

The 12 group winners qualify directly, the four remaining berths are determined by play-offs involving the 12 group runners-up for the expanded 48-team finals.