Dark night for Cristiano Ronaldo in Dublin, in the defeat of Portugal (0-2).
Sent off after elbowing Dara O’Shea, the Portuguese star will not play again during the qualifying phase… and could even miss the start of the 2026 World Cup.
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Ronaldo is automatically suspended for the upcoming match against Armenia, but the Seleçao are mainly holding their breath for their legend.
According to FIFA’s disciplinary regulations, the type of foul for which he was sent off, an elbow, can lead to a suspension of up to three games. And that changes everything.
In brief:
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If Portugal finishes first in their group, the sanction could be extended until the World Cup and CR7 would miss the first two group games.
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If the Portuguese fall to second place and go to the playoffs, he would be available again for the start of the tournament.
Everything now depends on the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Commission.
One thing is certain: this red card comes at the worst possible moment for a Portuguese team that was counting on its captain to close the classification… and quietly prepare its trip to North America.
📊 Portugal’s group classification before the last day
1) Portugal (10 points)
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2) Hungary (8 points)
3) Ireland (7 points)
4) Armenia (3 points)
Last day: Hungary – Ireland and Portugal – Armenia (11/16/2025)
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.
📸Charles McQuillan – 2025 Getty Images