Thursday night’s World Cup qualifier in Dublin, already charged with tension, ended with both managers clashing over the interpretation of Cristiano Ronaldo’s red card.
Before kickoff, Ronaldo had joked about trying to “be a good boy” to avoid antagonizing the Irish fans.
However, when Portugal fell 2–0 behind due to Troy Parrott’s first-half brace, the match took a controversial turn for the veteran forward.
The decisive incident occurred around the 60th minute when Ronaldo and Irish defender Dara O’Shea collided in the box. As they battled for position, Ronaldo’s arm struck O’Shea’s back, sending the defender to the ground.
Referee Glenn Nyberg initially showed a yellow card, but following a VAR review at the touchline monitor, he upgraded it to a straight red.
Ronaldo responded with sarcastic applause aimed at the noisy Aviva Stadium crowd and exchanged tense words with Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson before leaving the field.
After the match, Hallgrimsson hinted that the red card incident might have been influenced by lingering tensions, recalling his accusation that Ronaldo had “controlled the referee” during the previous encounter between the two teams.
“He actually praised me for putting pressure on the referee,” Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said after the match.
“But the red card came from his own actions on the pitch. It had nothing to do with me unless I somehow got into his head.”
Hallgrimsson added, “There was really nothing to discuss. This was simply a brief lapse on his part, a moment of silliness, I would say.”
Portugal manager Roberto Martinez, visibly frustrated by the situation, defended his captain while taking a subtle dig at Hallgrimsson’s pre-match comments.
“The red card involves a captain who had never been sent off in 226 international appearances. That alone deserves recognition,” Martinez said.
He continued, “I thought it was a bit harsh today. Cristiano cares deeply for the team. He spent 58 to 60 minutes being grabbed, pushed, and pulled in the box. The incident looks worse than it actually is. I don’t see it as an elbow—it’s more of a full-body challenge. But from the camera angles, it may appear otherwise. Still, we accept the decision.”
Martinez went further, suggesting that Dara O’Shea exaggerated the contact. “What leaves a bitter taste is that in yesterday’s press conference, the coach spoke about referees being influenced, and then a big centre-back falls dramatically as Cristiano moves. It made the situation look worse than it was,” he explained.
As a result of the red card, Ronaldo will now miss Portugal’s upcoming qualifier against Armenia. Under FIFA disciplinary rules, elbowing is treated as violent conduct and can result in a suspension of at least three matches, meaning the star forward could sit out Portugal’s opening World Cup games if they qualify.
