By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Cristiano Ronaldo may miss Portugal’s first match at the 2026 World Cup after he was sent off for violent conduct in Thursday’s 2-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland.
ESPN reported that the Al Nassr star initially received a yellow card in the 61st minute for elbowing Ireland defender Dara O’Shea, but the referee upgraded it to a red card after checking the incident on VAR. The dismissal is Ronaldo’s first ever for Portugal in his 226 international appearances, even though he has picked up 13 red cards in his club career.
FIFA’s disciplinary rules mean he must serve an automatic one-match suspension in competitive games. The regulations also say violent conduct can lead to a punishment of “at least three matches or an appropriate period of time for assault, including elbowing.” Such bans only count in official fixtures and cannot be served during warm-up friendlies.
Portugal went into the Dublin clash knowing a win would confirm their qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, but they were shocked by two goals from Troy Parrott. Despite the loss, they still top Group F with a two-point lead over Hungary. Victory against Armenia on Sunday will seal their spot at the finals and keep Ronaldo on course for his sixth World Cup appearance.
Speaking before the match, Ronaldo admitted he expected a tough atmosphere at the Aviva Stadium and possible boos from the home fans. He said, “I really like the fans here. The support they give to the national team it’s lovely. For me, it’s a pleasure to come and play here again. Of course, it will be tough. I hope they don’t boo me too much tomorrow. I swear that I’m going to try to be a good boy.”
After his red card, he reacted to the jeers with a sarcastic-looking smile, a round of applause and two thumbs up.
Thursday’s incident also comes after earlier friction with Irish supporters, including claims in the reverse fixture that he had undue influence on the referee when Rúben Neves grabbed a late winner.