Ronaldo risks being suspended from the 2026 World Cup for foul play against an Irish player

(Dan Tri) - Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off for the national team for the first time, putting him at risk of missing the opening match of the 2026 World Cup finals.

In a terrible day of competition for the Portuguese team, Ronaldo became the focus of criticism. His red card not only caused Portugal to lose 0-2 to Ireland on the morning of November 14 but also directly threatened CR7's ability to participate in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup.

Ireland players react to the referee after Ronaldo's rough action (Photo: Getty).

The incident happened in the 61st minute of the match when Portugal was surprisingly 2-0 down to Ireland. In a dispute over position for a high ball in the penalty area with defender Dara O'Shea, Ronaldo swung his elbow at the opponent's face. Initially, referee Glenn Nyberg showed a yellow card, but after VAR intervened, he decided to change it to a red card.

According to Marca, the elbow on the Irish defender was classified by FIFA as "violent conduct". According to disciplinary regulations, Ronaldo will face a potential suspension of more than two matches due to the severity of the action.

The most worrying thing at the moment is that Portugal is almost certain to secure a ticket to the 2026 World Cup. If they just win or draw against Armenia in the final round, coach Roberto Martinez and his team will officially be in North America without needing the play-off round.

However, the prospect of Portugal qualifying early is bad news for Ronaldo. According to FIFA's clear regulations: "All suspensions not served during the qualifying stage will be carried over to the 2026 World Cup."

In other words, if the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decides that Ronaldo is suspended for two or more matches, the Portuguese star will have to miss the first match, or even the first two matches of the Portuguese team at the next World Cup taking place in the US, Canada and Mexico.

Immediately after Portugal's 0-2 defeat to Ireland, coach Roberto Martinez quickly spoke up to defend Ronaldo, emphasizing that the red card for the superstar's aggressive behavior was unjustified and just a misunderstanding from the VAR camera angle.

Ronaldo faces the risk of missing the opening match of the 2026 World Cup for the Portuguese team (Photo: Getty).

"I think it's difficult for a player like Cristiano. Today, he kept colliding with two Irish defenders. There was no violence, he tried to get past the defender," said coach Martinez.

The 2-0 defeat and the loss of a man cost Portugal the chance to qualify early. They still have the right to decide if they can get a good result in their final match against Armenia, but Ronaldo's red card has cast a shadow over the team's performance and preparations for the upcoming major tournament.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/choi-xau-cau-thu-ireland-ronaldo-co-nguy-bi-tròng-gio-o-world-cup-2026-20251114074751419.htm