On the evening of 6/9, Cristiano Ronaldo walked onto the field with 11-year-old Ruben from the host nation.
While the national anthem played, the boy became emotional and cried. Ronaldo comforted him with gestures and interactions, helping Ruben smile again.
 |
Ronaldo plays with Ruben before the Armenia - Portugal match in the 2026 World Cup European qualifiers on the evening of 6/9. Photo: UEFA |
The next day, Ronaldo posted a video on X, writing, "Yesterday, I made a new friend. I'm grateful for the love and support I receive every day. I hope everyone can pursue their dreams".
According to Amalia Grigoryan, head of amateur football at the Football Federation of Armenia, Ruben has auditory and speech impairments. His biggest dream was to meet Ronaldo.
In a separate incident, Ronaldo sparked controversy by pushing a fan at the Portugal team hotel. An overzealous fan breached security, ran to hug the 40-year-old superstar, and attempted to take a photo.
Ronaldo reacted angrily, pushing the fan away. Security intervened, restraining the fan and others who rushed forward.
Some criticized Ronaldo for being unfriendly and arrogant, while others defended the Portugal captain, arguing that the fan's invasion of the team's privacy and the potential safety risk to the players were unacceptable.
The Armenia - Portugal game marked both teams' first match in Group F of the World Cup European qualifiers. Ronaldo scored two goals, in the 21st and 46th minutes, contributing to the visitors' 5-0 victory. Joao Felix also scored twice, while Joao Cancelo added another goal.
Ronaldo extended his international goal-scoring record to 140 and his career total to 942.
In another Group F match on the same day, the Republic of Ireland drew 2-2 with Hungary. After the first round of matches, Portugal leads the group with three points, two points ahead of the Republic of Ireland and Hungary. Ronaldo and his teammates will play their next match away against Hungary on 9/9.
The top team in each European qualifying group will qualify directly for the World Cup. The second-placed teams will participate in playoffs for remaining spots.
Thanh Quy (via X)
