Cristiano Ronaldo had a night to forget after getting sent off in Portugal’s 2-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland in their 2026 World Cup qualifiers game in Dublin on Thursday.
AZ Alkmaar striker Troy Parrott scored a brace for Ireland, netting both first-half goals in the 17th and 45th minute respectively.
Following the game, Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson joked that he may have “got into the head” of Ronaldo after the pair’s touchline spat that followed the Portuguese superstar’s red card.
In the build-up to the World Cup qualifier, Ronaldo had accused Hallgrímsson of playing mind games after the Irish boss’s own allegation that Cristiano Ronaldo had “controlled the referee” when their two sides last faced.
However, Ronaldo then sarcastically told reporters at the prematch press conference that he would “try to be a good boy.”
But just an hour into Thursday’s surprise 2–0 loss, Ronaldo’s promise went up in smoke after a VAR check found him to have elbowed Dara O’Shea in the back, which eventually got him a red card.
Following his sending off, CR7 was seen clapping the Irish fans and pretending to cry as he headed to the touchline, where he also had words for Hallgrímsson and Ireland’s coaching staff.
Ireland coach taunts Ronaldo after historic red card
After the game, Heimir Hallgrímsson opened up about his exchange of words with Ronaldo on the sidelines while subtly taunting the Al-Nassr captain.
“He complimented me for putting pressure on the referee. It was his action on the pitch that cost him the red card,” Hallgrímsson said.
“It had nothing to do with me—unless I got into his head. This was just a moment of a little silliness from him, I would say,” he added.
The red card will now see Ronaldo miss the remainder of his country’s next qualifier games as they aim to appear at next year’s World Cup in North America.
