Coaches Clash Over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Red Card As Ireland Shock Portugal In Dublin

14 Nov 2025, 09:03 by Ernest Victor · Naija News

A World Cup qualifier that already had its fair share of tension boiled over in Dublin on Thursday night, and by the final whistle, both managers were locked into a duel of interpretations over Cristiano Ronaldo’s red card.

Cristiano Ronaldo had joked before the match that he would “try to be a good boy” to avoid stirring up Irish supporters.

Yet the moment Portugal fell 2-0 behind to Troy Parrott’s first-half double, the night spiralled toward another chapter of controversy for the veteran forward.

The turning point came on the hour when Ronaldo and Dara O’Shea tussled in the Republic of Ireland box. As they jostled for space, Ronaldo’s arm made contact with the defender’s back and sent him to the ground.

Referee Glenn Nyberg first pulled out a yellow card, but after VAR intervention and a trip to the touchline monitor, he returned with a red.

Ronaldo responded with sarcastic applause directed at the roaring Aviva Stadium crowd and exchanged heated words with Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson before heading down the tunnel.

Hallgrimsson later suggested he may have got under Ronaldo’s skin after accusing the superstar of “controlling the referee” in the previous meeting between the sides.

“He complimented me for putting pressure on the referee,” Hallgrimsson said after the game.
“It was his action on the pitch that cost him the red card. It had nothing to do with me unless I got into his head.

“There was nothing to speak about. This was just a moment of a little silliness from him, I would say.”

Portugal manager Roberto Martinez was visibly irritated by the entire episode and strongly defended his captain while taking a swipe at Hallgrimsson for his comments in the build-up.

“The red card is just a captain that has never been sent off before in 226 games. I think that just deserves credit,” Martinez said.

“Today, I thought it was a bit harsh because he cares about the team. He was 60 minutes or 58 minutes in the box being grabbed, being pulled, being pushed.

“I think the action looks worse than what it actually is. I don’t think it’s an elbow, I think it’s a full body. But from where the camera is, it looks like an elbow. But we accept it.”

The Portugal boss went further, arguing that O’Shea’s fall exaggerated the situation. “The only thing that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth is at the press conference yesterday, your coach was talking about the aspect of the referees being influenced, and then a big centre-half falls on the floor so dramatically at the turn of Cristiano’s body,” he said.

Ronaldo will now miss Sunday’s qualifier against Armenia. FIFA’s disciplinary code states that elbowing can be punished with “at least three matches” for violent conduct, which means the forward could miss Portugal’s opening games at the World Cup if they qualify.