FIFA certainly isn’t trying to spoil its final game. Excluded in November against Ireland, Cristiano Ronaldo was handed a one-match suspension on Tuesday, having already served his sentence. The 40-year-old Portuguese coach will be able to start the 2026 World Cup with his national team.
World football’s governing body on Tuesday handed “CR7” a one-match and two-game suspension, following a shove he gave to Dara O’Shea during the (2-0) defeat to Portugal in Dublin.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, sent off for the first time in his national team career, had served his final game of suspension against Armenia, a game that ended with Portugal confirming his qualification. “In accordance with Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, play of the remaining two matches is suspended for one year,” FIFA said in a statement.
Sixth World
“If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another offense of a similar nature and seriousness during the period of suspension, the suspension specified in the disciplinary decision will be automatically lifted and the remaining two matches must be immediately served in the next official match,” explained the body.
Ronaldo will participate in his sixth World Cup next summer, which will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United striker, who currently plays at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, is yet to lift a trophy but won Euro 2016 with Portugal.
Ronaldo attended a White House dinner last week and met US President Donald Trump, who said his son Barron was a “huge fan” of the Portuguese striker.
