Red Card for Ronaldo: Portugal’s World Cup Qualification Delayed
DUBLIN – Cristiano Ronaldo received a red card during Portugal’s 1-0 loss to the Republic of Ireland on November 14, 2025, jeopardizing their immediate qualification for the World Cup. The dismissal, following a VAR review in the 60th minute, marks the 13th expulsion of Ronaldo’s professional career and leaves Portugal needing to secure qualification through a playoff route.
The match, played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, saw ireland take the lead through Troy Parrott, who scored twice in the first half (17th and 45th minutes) against a Portuguese side still building to peak form. Prior to his ejection, Ronaldo had already drawn criticism for a provocative “crying gesture” directed at irish players, which was met with derisive responses from the home crowd.
The red card stemmed from a challenge with Ireland’s Dara O’Shea, initially penalized with a yellow card before the VAR intervention led to the harsher decision. Ronaldo responded to the irish fans’ taunts with a sarcastic applause as he left the pitch. Portugal had previously missed a match point to secure their place in the tournament. The team will now await their playoff draw to determine their path to the World Cup.
