A black day with red cards: an out-of-control Cristiano Ronaldo missed early qualifying for the 2026 World Cup finals with Portugal and was also sent off for the first time in his 226th international match. In Ireland’s 2-0 (0-2) draw, the 40-year-old was shown a red card in the 61st minute for an elbow – and could therefore initially be banned from his record-breaking World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who will become the first footballer to play in World Cup number six, and his teammates missed their first match point. AZ Alkmaar’s Troy Parrott (17/45) scored two goals in the first half. An hour later, the big excitement came: Ronaldo was knocked out in a duel with Dara O’Shea, first shown a yellow card and then a straight red after VAR intervention.
The line-up:
Ireland: Kelleher – O’Brien, Collins, O’Shea – Coleman, Cullen, Taylor (68th Coventry), Scales, Ogbene (86th Johnston, Azaz (79th Ebosele) – Parrott (68th Idah)
Coach: Heimir Hallgrimsson
Portugal: Diogo Costa – Joao Cancelo (46. Nelson Semedo), Ruben Dias, Goncalo Inacio (46. Renato Veiga), Diogo Dalot – Joao Neves, Ruben Neves (78. Goncalo Ramos), Vitinha – Bernardo Silva (63. Trincao), Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Felix (63. Rafael Leao)
Coach: Roberto Martinez
Referee: Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
