The 40-year-old clashed with defender Dara O’Shea away from the ball, shortly after Troy Parrott had put the hosts 2-0 ahead in the first half. ..Continue Reading
Initially booked for an elbow, VAR stepped in, prompting the referee to upgrade the decision to a red card after reviewing the footage.
The straight red sparked immediate concern that Ronaldo might miss part of the 2026 World Cup, especially with only one competitive match left before the tournament against Armenia.
FIFA have imposed a three-game suspension, meaning if Portugal secure automatic qualification, their key forward would be absent for the first two matches of the competition.
Nevertheless, the federation is aiming to reduce Ronaldo’s ban through an appeal to the global football authority.
According to LUSA, via the Evening Standard, they are pushing for the suspension to be cut to one match, allowing him to participate from the start of the tournament.
The appeal will be led by Portugal FA president Pedro Proenca, who will argue that Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson “created a clearly and demonstrably hostile environment” for Ronaldo.
Before the qualifier, the coach had advised the referee not to be swayed by the 40-year-old, which resulted in a heated exchange between the two after the sending off.
LUSA’s report further states that the Portuguese FA will claim Ronaldo was “blatantly held inside the box” several times, which triggered his reaction in “frustration.”
They will also highlight that the red card is “the first time Cristiano Ronaldo had ever been sent off in more than 200 appearances for the national team, which is truly remarkable and demonstrates his consistently exemplary conduct.”
Ronaldo will be hoping the appeal succeeds, especially since he has confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be his final major international appearance.
He’ll be eager to build on his already record-breaking goal tally for his country, where he remains far ahead of any other player.
Asked whether he could reach 1000 career goals at next summer’s tournament, he said: “I think you watched too many movies, that’s too perfect. Let’s go back to reality.”
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