Cristiano Ronaldo, getty images November 26, 2025, 4:28 p.m

We will remind: Ronaldo received a red card in the penultimate match of the selection against Ireland, when he elbowed defender Dar O’Shea quite hard in the ribs. After reviewing the VAR, the referee increased the penalty from yellow to red. It was one of the most blatant cases of foul play to be seen in football. For this, Ronaldo was suspended for three matches: the first for the final qualifying match against Armenia, and the next two for the World Cup.

FIFA announced on Tuesday that Ronaldo had effectively been cleared to play, with the two-match ban suspended for a year. They are only activated if he does something similar again during this probationary period.

In other words, yes, it was bad behavior, but we’re sure you won’t do it again, right? Good. And now… will you play in our tournament?

This is made possible by Article 27 of FIFA’s disciplinary code, which allows the organization to suspend punishment when it deems it appropriate. The wording is very vague, so the limits for interpretation are wide.

The only reason for leniency, it seems, was that it was Ronaldo’s first red card in his entire international career. Like, with whom it does not happen, he used to behave well, it is not necessary to punish too harshly and so on.

All this sounds logical – suspensions are not uncommon in football, as long as it is applied equally to everyone.

Here’s an example: Armenia’s captain Tigran Barseghyan also received a red card for rough behavior against Ireland. Similarly, there are three ban matches. Likewise, the first red in the national team. But unlike Ronaldo, he was not given any relief: he has already missed two matches, and the third is yet to come.

There are no special precedents here – or they are unsuitable for comparison.

Several cases, when FIFA has already exercised its right to suspend punishment, were still named to The Athletic journalists. One involved a labor dispute between Israeli second division club Kfar Kasem and Ivorian midfielder Alfa Mamadou Diane. Another is the punishment for homophobic chants by Mexican fans during the match against Poland at the 2022 World Cup.

But several points immediately arise here. First, none of these examples refer to an event on the field. That is, the connection with Ronaldo’s situation is very strained, because everything was simple there: clear rudeness during the game. Secondly, the example of Mexico – where part of the punishment in the form of a match without spectators was suspended on the condition of “good behavior” – looks even black humor. Because in fact FIFA shows softness in the case of open homophobia.

In other words, if FIFA tries to defend its decision by referring to such precedents, it will look downright ridiculous.

But the biggest pity is Roberto Martinez.

The head coach of Portugal found himself in an awkward situation: Ronaldo continues to play at the club level and is always ready to come to the national team. On the one hand, he is the best Portuguese footballer in history and one of the main stars of world football, he still scores. Who would deliberately refuse such a player? Some fans would simply turn Martinez into a francezinho (Portuguese sandwich – ed.) for daring not to call him.

On the other hand, Martinez has plenty of evidence that Portugal are playing much better without Ronaldo. It was the same at the last World Cup: the team barely made it through the group, but when Ronaldo was benched in the round of 16, Portugal crushed Switzerland 6-1. And in the last match of the selection for the current tournament, the Portuguese scored a total of nine against Armenia – although the opponent was very weak, but they played without Ronaldo.

His disqualification for the first two matches could turn out to be a convenient decision: the team starts without him, plays well – and then the coach calmly says that there is no point in changing the winning team. Ronaldo is given a few minutes in some match – they say, here’s your chance, score your sixth World Cup goal (which is historic in itself). And the starting line-up is formed in a logical and balanced way, which is impossible with Ronaldo on the field.

But this ideal scenario is destroyed. Now Ronaldo is very likely to start Portugal’s first match at the tournament, maybe he will score, or maybe he will again wave his hands at his partners and send the ball from the penalty area into the stratosphere.

Cristiano Ronaldo is still the most famous soccer player on the planet, and that carries a lot of weight. FIFA had to do anything to get Lionel Messi to the Club World Cup last summer, so they found a way to get Inter Miami there. So is the upcoming tournament without Ronaldo? No, this is simply not acceptable for FIFA.

Translation of material from The Athletic