ronaldo’s Red Card Costs Portugal FIFA Ranking as World Cup Looms
Portugal’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup, secured with a dominant 9-1 victory over Armenia fueled by a hat-trick from João Neves, is tempered by a fall in the FIFA world rankings and the fallout from Cristiano Ronaldo‘s recent disciplinary issue. The mixed results of the international window highlight a potentially destabilizing situation for Roberto Martinez’s squad ahead of the tournament.
The Portuguese team dropped from fifth to sixth in the latest FIFA rankings, falling behind Brazil (1762.83 points, up two places) with a score of 1760.38 points. This shift follows Ronaldo’s receiving the first red card of his international career during a 0-2 defeat to Ireland. The dismissal, stemming from a reactive gesture, resulted in a suspension and absence from the crucial Armenia qualifier.
Spain remains at the top of the rankings with 1883.80 points,followed by Argentina (1873.32 points), France (1870.00 points), and England (1834.12 points). Further down the list, the Netherlands and Belgium also saw a one-place drop, while Germany and Croatia each climbed one position.
Updated FIFA Rankings:
- Spain – 1883.80 points
- Argentina – 1873.32 points
- France – 1870.00 points
- England – 1834.12 points
- Brazil – 1762.83 points (+2)
- Portugal – 1760.38 points (-1)
- Netherlands – 1756.27 points (-1)
- Belgium – 1730.02 points
- Germany – 1724.15 points (+1)
- Croatia – 1716.88 points (+1)
