‘Silliness’: Ireland and Portugal coaches at odds over Ronaldo red card

Ronaldo astatine hazard of being banned for archetypal crippled of 2026 World Cup if Portugal suffice aft reddish paper against Ireland.

Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has said Cristiano Ronaldo was incorrect to blasted him for the red paper helium received arsenic Portugal fell to a World Cup qualifying defeat.

The five-time Ballon d’Or victor exchanged words with Hallgrimsson aft being sent disconnected during Portugal’s 2-0 decision successful Dublin connected Thursday.

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Ronaldo said earlier the crippled the Ireland manager had tried to enactment unit connected the referee by telling the officials not to beryllium influenced by the superstar striker.

With his squad trailing by 2 goals successful the 2nd half, the 40-year-old was frustrated and elbowed Dara O’Shea successful the back arsenic the Ireland subordinate marked him successful the box.

“He complimented maine with putting unit connected the referee, but listen, it had thing to bash with me, it was his enactment connected the transportation that outgo him a reddish card,” Hallgrimsson told reporters.

“It had thing to bash with maine unless I got into his head.”

He added, “This was conscionable a infinitesimal of a small silliness for him, I would say.”

It was Ronaldo’s archetypal sending disconnected successful 226 appearances for the nationalist side.

At the precise least, Ronaldo volition service a mandatory one-game ban, but FIFA disciplinary rules necessitate its judges to enforce a prohibition of “at slightest 2 matches for superior foul play”.

O’Shea falls aft being elbowed by Ronaldo, November 13, 2025 [Charles McQuillan/Getty Images]

Despite the blatant elbow, Portugal manager Roberto Martinez said the reddish paper was harsh.

“I thought it was a spot harsh due to the fact that helium cares astir the team,” Martinez told reporters. “He was astir 60 minutes successful the container being grabbed, pulled, pushed and evidently helium tries to get distant from the defender.

“I deliberation the enactment looks worse than what it really is. I don’t deliberation it’s an elbow; I deliberation it’s a afloat body, but from wherever the camera is, it looks similar an elbow. But we judge it.”

Martinez besides questioned Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson’s comments astir Ronaldo “controlling the referee” successful the reverse fixture successful Lisbon past month, which Portugal won 1-0.

“The lone happening that leaves a bitter sensation successful my rima is astatine the property league yesterday, Ireland manager was talking astir the facet of the referees being influenced, and past a large centre fractional falls connected the level truthful dramatically astatine the crook of Cristiano’s body,” Martinez said.

Portugal, who are assured astatine slightest a playoff spot, are 2 points wide of Hungary astatine the apical of Group F with a superior extremity difference. The Irish are 1 constituent further back.

Portugal big Armenia portion Ireland question to look Hungary successful the last circular of fixtures connected Sunday.