Cristiano Ronaldo red card drama overshadowed Portugal’s defeat as Ireland claimed a memorable 2-0 victory in Dublin. The Portugal captain received the first red card of his international career, and Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson did not hold back while describing the moment.
Ireland took full control early, with Troy Parrott scoring twice before halftime. Their advantage strengthened further when Ronaldo was dismissed following an off-the-ball clash with defender Dara O’Shea.
After the incident, Ronaldo briefly confronted Hallgrimsson before the pair exchanged a handshake. The Irish manager later explained the interaction.
“He complimented me for putting pressure on the referee,” Hallgrimsson said. “Listen, it had nothing to do with me. It was his action on the pitch that cost him a red card. Nothing to do with me, unless I got into his head.”
He added a blunt assessment of Ronaldo’s conduct. “It was just a moment of silliness from him, I would say.”
VAR Review Changes Ronaldo’s Fate
The referee initially booked Ronaldo, but VAR recommended a review of the elbow incident. After checking the monitor, the official upgraded the booking to a straight red card.
The dismissal was historic for Ronaldo, coming in his 226th international appearance. It also continued a strange trend at the Aviva Stadium, where two other opponents—Roland Sallai and Tigran Barseghyan—had already been shown straight red cards during this qualifying campaign.
Hallgrimsson credited Ireland’s home support for unsettling visiting teams. “I don’t have any explanation for it, maybe it is the fans,” he said. “They make an amazing atmosphere, it probably gets to the opponents. There are not many places with an atmosphere like here. Maybe it shocks them. Long may that continue.”
As Ronaldo exited, he also made a ‘cry-baby’ gesture toward O’Shea, further fuelling the post-match discussion.
Ireland’s Qualification Route Still Narrow
Ireland moved to third place in their group, sitting one point behind Hungary. Their hopes of automatic qualification remain slim, requiring a heavy win over Hungary and an Armenia victory against Portugal. However, a win in Budapest will push Ireland into the play-offs.
Martinez Defends Ronaldo and Points at Pre-Match Comments
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez strongly defended Ronaldo’s behaviour and shifted attention toward Hallgrimsson’s pre-match remarks.
“He’s just a captain that has never been sent off before in 226 games, so I think that deserves credit,” Martinez said. “Today, I think it was a bit harsh, because he cares about the team. He had 60 minutes being grabbed, being pulled, being pushed.”
Martinez argued that the contact looked more severe due to camera angles. “Obviously when he tries to get away from the defender, the action looks worse than it actually is. I don’t think it’s the elbow, I think it’s the full body. But from where the camera is, it looks like an elbow.”
He suggested that Hallgrimsson’s pre-game comments might have influenced the officials.
“The only thing that leaves a taste in my mouth is that in the press conference, your coach was talking about the aspect of the referees being influenced and then a big centre-half falls on the floor, dramatically, for Cristiano,” he added.
Martinez urged Portugal to respond strongly in their next match. “We need to make sure we win the next game for him.”
Ronaldo Faces Possible Extended Ban
Ronaldo will miss the upcoming match against Armenia. However, the violent conduct ruling could trigger a suspension of up to three matches, which may affect Portugal’s opening World Cup fixtures if they finish top of their group.
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