Portugal’s Qualification Journey and Ronaldo’s Controversial Exit

Portugal traveled to Dublin with the aim of securing a positive result to guarantee their automatic qualification for next summer’s World Cup finals, to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. However, the outcome has now placed their hopes on a final group match against Armenia on Sunday, from which Cristiano Ronaldo will be absent due to a suspension.

Ronaldo’s ban is a consequence of an incident where he swung his elbow at Ireland defender Dara O’Shea, leading to his early dismissal following a VAR review. Prior to the match, Icelandic coach Hallgrimsson expressed concerns about Ronaldo’s ability to influence referees, recalling a previous encounter in Lisbon where Ronaldo seemingly had a significant impact on the officiating.

Hallgrimsson commented, “It’s obviously up to the referee if he takes part in a play. But in Portugal, he was not only controlling the referee; he was controlling the whole stadium. I hope it will be the opposite now that we are in Aviva. Obviously, a player shouldn’t be refereeing. It should be the officials doing the refereeing.”

In response to Hallgrimsson’s remarks, Ronaldo had vowed to behave appropriately, expressing his admiration for Irish supporters: “I really like the fans here; their support for the national team is lovely. I hope they don’t boo me too much, and I swear that I’m gonna try to be a good boy!”

Unfortunately for Ronaldo, his resolve did not hold, as he displayed frustration during the match, which saw Portugal concede twice before halftime. He received a red card just after the hour mark, marking a significant shift in momentum.

Hallgrimsson reflected on Ronaldo’s dismissal, stating, “He lost his focus a little bit, and maybe the fans helped a little in that. He was frustrated and reacted in a way he knows he shouldn’t have. He acknowledged that my pre-match comments were clever, but it was his own rash decision that cost him.”

As Ronaldo left the pitch, he acknowledged Hallgrimsson’s tactical pressure on the referee, but the coach emphasized that the responsibility for the red card lay solely with Ronaldo.

Post-match, Hallgrimsson indicated that he felt no need for further discussion with Ronaldo, asserting that their exchange on the field was sufficient: “This was just a moment of a little silliness from him, I would say.”

Ireland celebrated a notable victory on home soil, with Troy Parrott scoring twice, putting them in a strong position as they look ahead to a crucial match against Hungary. Hallgrimsson remarked, “It is in our hands, and with a performance like this, we have a chance. We need to focus and recover, as the upcoming game is very important now.”

Meanwhile, Portugal is assured of their place in the 2026 finals, with Ronaldo acknowledging that it will be his last World Cup appearance at the age of 41. Despite this, he remains committed to extending his career as he pursues the milestone of 1,000 career goals.