Cristiano Ronaldo, getty images November 14, 2025, 11:33 am

Cristiano Ronaldo became the protagonist of a scandalous moment in the qualifying match of the World Cup between Portugal and the Republic of Ireland. Before the game, the forward said that he would try to “be a good boy” so as not to annoy the Irish fans. However, during the match, the 40-year-old football player found himself in the center of the conflict.

In the 60th minute, with Portugal 2-0 down after Troy Parrott’s brace, Ronaldo elbowed Dara O’Shea in the Irish penalty area, causing the defender to go down and a storm of reaction at the Aviva Stadium. The referee initially showed the Portuguese a yellow card, but after reviewing the incident on VAR, the decision was changed to a red.

After being sent off, Ronaldo sarcastically applauded the fans and exchanged words with Ireland head coach Geimir Hallgrimsson. The coach, commenting on the incident, noted that “it was his actions on the field that cost the red card.”

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez defended the team captain, calling the sending-off “a bit harsh” and also explained that the video made Ronaldo’s shot look worse than it actually was.

The consequences for Ronaldo could be serious: he will already miss the final qualifier against Armenia, and FIFA’s disciplinary committee could impose an additional three-match ban for aggressive behaviour. If Portugal qualify for the 2026 World Cup, Ronaldo may miss the first two matches of the group stage.