Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup dreams are in jeopardy after the Portugal captain was sent off during a shocking 2-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.
The 40-year-old football icon now faces a potential multi-game suspension that could rule him out of the start of next summer's global tournament.
The Incident That Sparked Controversy
The dramatic sending-off occurred on Thursday night when Ronaldo swung an elbow towards Republic of Ireland defender Dara O'Shea. Referee Glenn Nyberg initially showed a yellow card but upgraded his decision to a red following intervention from the VAR review system.
This moment of frustration during Portugal's qualifying match has put Ronaldo's international future at immediate risk and cast a shadow over their World Cup preparations.
Potential Suspension and World Cup Consequences
Ronaldo will automatically serve a one-game ban during Portugal's next World Cup qualifier against Armenia on Sunday. However, the real concern lies with FIFA's disciplinary procedures.
Under FIFA laws, the nature of Ronaldo's offence could lead to at least a two-match ban for serious foul play or at least three matches for violent conduct. The crucial distinction between these classifications remains unclear from the referee's report.
Since suspensions only apply to competitive matches, a three-game ban for violent conduct would see Ronaldo miss Portugal's first two group stage matches at the World Cup itself - a devastating blow for the veteran forward potentially competing in his final major tournament.
Manager Reaction and Post-Match Fallout
Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez came to his captain's defence, highlighting Ronaldo's previously impeccable disciplinary record. 'He's just a captain that has never been sent off before in 226 games, so I think that deserves credit,' Martinez stated.
The Spanish manager described the decision as 'a bit harsh', suggesting Ronaldo had been 'grabbed, being pulled, being pushed' for 60 minutes before the incident. Martinez argued that 'the action looks worse than it actually is' from certain camera angles, though he acknowledged 'we accept it because it is a red card'.
The drama continued after the final whistle, with Ronaldo confronting Republic of Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson as he left the pitch. Hallgrimsson revealed Ronaldo accused him of putting pressure on the referee before the match.
'He asked me if I was happy about the sending off,' Hallgrimsson said. 'Portugal lost their best player — yes, I am happy. But it didn't come from me, it was his own action.'
Despite the setback, Portugal remain top of Group F and can secure their World Cup qualification with a victory over bottom-placed Armenia on Sunday, though they may have to achieve this without their star player and captain.
