Without Cristiano Ronaldo, who was suspended, Portugal thrashed Luxembourg 9-0 on Monday. The Seleçao is now edging closer to a Euro 2024 qualification that seems certain.
Portugal’s flawless performance turned into a demonstration on Monday against Luxembourg (9-0), marking their biggest victory in history. With a starting lineup that was 50% different from the one that won against Slovakia (1-0) last Friday, the Seleçao secured their sixth consecutive victory in as many matches, all without conceding a single goal (scoring 24 in the process).
The absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, due to suspension, did not prove to be a significant hindrance. On the contrary, just like in his first World Cup start on December 6th, replacing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner against Switzerland (6-1), Gonçalo Ramos made the most of the opportunity. The PSG forward scored a brace, further enhancing his statistics: he now has six goals in eight appearances, with only three starts.
Gonçalo Ramos was substituted in the 61st minute for Joao Félix, at a time when the suspense had long evaporated from the match. By halftime, the score was already 4-0, with both goals from the Paris Saint-Germain player and one from Gonçalo Inacio, the central defender from Sporting Portugal.
Another PSG player, Danilo Pereira, enjoyed a productive evening, playing for 75 minutes in a hybrid role, acting as a midfielder when the Seleçao didn’t have possession and dropping between the two central defenders during the build-up phase.
While Diogo Jota also scored a brace, there was one last significant contributor during this stroll in the Algarve: Bruno Fernandes, who provided three assists and scored the penultimate goal in the 83rd minute. Joao Félix rounded off the offensive spectacle with a curled strike into the top corner in the 88th minute.