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Ronaldo Sees Red: Portugal Star Sent Off in World Cup Qualifier
14 Nov
Summary
- Cristiano Ronaldo given straight red card for elbow in box
- Portugal trailing Ireland 2-0 when incident occurred
- Portugal still controls World Cup qualification destiny despite loss
On November 11, 2025, Portugal faced off against Ireland in a crucial World Cup qualifying match. The game was not going well for the Portuguese, as they found themselves trailing 2-0 at the hour mark. That's when Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal's star player, became involved in a physical altercation in the penalty area.
After a VAR review, the referee determined that Ronaldo had thrown an elbow into the back of an Irish player's neck/head area. As a result, Ronaldo was shown a straight red card, forcing Portugal to play the remainder of the match a man down.
Despite the setback, Portugal still maintains control of their World Cup qualification destiny. They entered the day with a five-point lead over second-place Croatia in their group, so the loss to Ireland, while disappointing, does not significantly jeopardize their chances of reaching the tournament.
