Republic of Ireland coach: 'Ronaldo was completely foolish'

That was the statement from the Republic of Ireland coach, Heimir Hallgrimsson, who was portrayed as the "villain" because of Ronaldo's red card.

Ronaldo argued with coach Hallgrimsson before heading into the tunnel - Photo: REUTERS

In the early hours of November 14th, Portugal suffered a surprising 0-2 defeat against the Republic of Ireland in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. The most significant event was Cristiano Ronaldo's red card in the 61st minute.

Inside the penalty area, Ronaldo unexpectedly swung his arm and struck Republic of Ireland player Dara O'Shea. Referee Glenn Nyberg spotted it and initially issued a yellow card. However, after consulting VAR, he changed his mind and gave a red card.

Ronaldo left the pitch gesticulating provocatively at the spectators, players, and even the Republic of Ireland coaching staff. Before heading into the tunnel, he even argued with coach Heimir Hallgrimsson.

On social media, the Irish strategist was criticized for allegedly exploiting home advantage to pressure the referee into giving Ronaldo a red card. He was also accused of instructing his players to constantly provoke and play dirty tricks to anger the Portuguese captain.

After the match, Hallgrimsson recounted his exchange with Ronaldo as the player left the field. He said: "He sarcastically complimented me for putting pressure on the referee. It was his actions on the field that led to the red card. I had nothing to do with it, unless I could control him. Ronaldo was foolish in that moment."

In the first leg between the two teams in October, the Republic of Ireland lost 0-1 away to Portugal. Hallgrimsson then made a statement implying that the referee favored Ronaldo because he had won five Ballon d'Or awards.

That statement, along with his response to Ronaldo, has turned Hallgrimsson into a "villain" in the eyes of many Portuguese fans.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/hlv-tuyen-ch-ireland-ronaldo-qua-ngo-ngan-20251114084410367.htm