Cristiano Ronaldo sticks out his elbow and is sent off with a red card for the first time in his 226th international match. It's a card that could have far-reaching consequences for Portugal's superstar.
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- Portugal lose their World Cup qualifier in Ireland 0:2 and miss out on early qualification.
- Cristiano Ronaldo is sent off with a red card. He will miss the last group game with a ban. But it could get even worse.
- How long Portugal's superstar, who is aiming for his sixth and final World Cup appearance, will now be banned is in the hands of FIFA's Disciplinary Committee.
- Three-match suspensions are standard. This could mean that Ronaldo misses the first two group games of the World Cup.
Ronaldo initially sees yellow after a foul on Ireland's Dara O'Shea. But then referee Glenn Nyberg is called to the screen by the VAR. The Swede revises his decision and awards a red card because he judges Ronaldo's elbow strike to be an assault.
As he leaves the pitch, Ronaldo is jeered and whistled at by the fans. CR7 reacts with ironic applause. Afterwards, he also had an exchange with Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, who had already caused trouble before the game by asking the referee not to be influenced by the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Ronaldo then accused the coach of playing mind games. He would try to be "a good boy". This plan failed miserably. And what did Ronaldo say to Hallgrimsson as he left the pitch? "He complimented me for putting pressure on the referee," explained Ireland's coach, adding: "It was his behavior on the pitch that earned him the red card. It had nothing to do with me - unless I influenced him psychologically."
Portugal coach defends Ronaldo
Coach Robert Martinez defends his superstar: "I think the pictures look worse than it actually was, and you shouldn't forget that it's the first red card of his career in the national team." He continued: "There was no violence involved, he just wanted to get free. He was unlucky."
How long Portugal's superstar, who is aiming for his sixth and final World Cup appearance, will now be banned is in the hands of FIFA's Disciplinary Committee, which determines the penalty for sending off players. The only thing that is certain is that the 40-year-old will not be able to help secure first place in the final group game against Armenia on Sunday and thus a direct ticket to the World Cup.
As a rule, an assault carries a three-match ban. This would mean that Ronaldo would miss the first two World Cup matches should Portugal qualify for the World Cup without going through the play-offs. One thing is already clear: Ronaldo and the Portuguese association can appeal against the first verdict to the FIFA appeals committee.
