Cristiano Ronaldo became the protagonist of a scandalous moment during the World Cup match between Portugal and the Republic of Ireland. Before the game, the forward said that he would try to “be a good boy” so as not to bother the Irish fans. Just before the match, the 40-year-old football player stumbled at the center of the conflict.

In the 60th half, with Portugal losing 0:2 after a double from Troy Parrott, Ronaldo, in the hour of fighting for position in the Irish penalty box, lected Dar O'Shea, which caused the downfall of his defender and a storm of reaction. Initially, the referee showed the Portuguese the yellow card, but after reviewing the incident on VAR, the decision was changed to red.

After seeing Ronaldo sarcastically applaud the fans and exchange words with Ireland head coach Geimir Hallgrimsson. The coach, commenting on the incident, noted that “the very act on the field was the one who minted the red card.”.

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez criticized the team captain, calling the performance “a little bit harsh,” and also explaining that in the video Ronaldo’s kick looked worse, but it was true.

The consequences for Ronaldo could be serious: he may miss the final qualifying match against Virmenia, and the FIFA disciplinary committee may impose an additional three-match disqualification for aggressive behavior. If Portugal qualifies for the 2026 emergency, Ronaldo may miss the first two matches of the group stage.