How Ronaldo Could Miss World Cup Opener After First Portugal Red Card in 22 Years

Cristiano Ronaldo’s participation in the upcoming World Cup is uncertain following his shocking dismissal in Portugal’s 2–0 defeat to the Republic of ireland. The red card – the first of his 22-year international career – arrived during his 226th appearance for Portugal on a night when the team was chasing automatic qualification. Two first-half goals from Troy Parrott sealed Ireland’s win, leaving Portugal’s qualifying campaign more complicated and raising concerns over Ronaldo’s availability for the tournament.

Ronaldo was initially shown a yellow card for what appeared to be an off-the-ball elbow on defender Dara O’Shea. However, after a VAR review, Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg upgraded the caution to a straight red. The decision not only weakened Portugal on the night but created additional uncertainty ahead of their final Group F fixture against Armenia – a match they must win to secure direct qualification.

Under FIFA’s Disciplinary Code, the incident may fall under “aggressive conduct,” which carries harsher penalties. Chapter 2, Article 14(i) states that players sent off for “assault – including elbowing, punching, kicking, biting, spitting or hitting an opponent” face a minimum three-match Ban. The regulations further allow for “at least three matches or an appropriate period of time” for violent conduct, meaning the committee has discretion to extend the punishment.

If the Disciplinary Committee opts for a strict interpretation, Ronaldo would miss the Armenia game plus the first two matches of the 2026 World Cup group stage – provided Portugal wins Group F. If Portugal drops into the playoffs, the ban could instead be served during those qualifiers, potentially allowing Ronaldo to play in the World Cup opener. The final decision now rests with FIFA’s panel.

Despite the loss, Portugal remains two points ahead of Hungary, and victory over Armenia would still secure first place. Ronaldo previously scored twice in a dominant 5–0 win against Armenia, but the setback in Dublin has tightened the standings and intensified pressure ahead of the disciplinary review.

Reaction from the Irish camp acknowledged the contentious nature of the sending-off. “I think the action looks worse than it is – it looks like an elbow,” said one Ireland player. “But we accept the decision.” He added that frustrations largely stemmed from pre-match comments regarding referee bias.

Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson also reflected on his brief exchange with Ronaldo after the match. “He complimented me on putting pressure on the referee,” Hallgrímsson said. “I’d argue that his moment of recklessness on the field is what caused the red card.”

Portugal coach Roberto Martínez defended his captain, emphasizing Ronaldo’s long-standing discipline. “A captain who has never been sent off in 226 games deserves respect,” Martínez insisted. “It was a rough night. He had been pushed and held in the box for over an hour, and as he tried to break free from the defender…”