Cristiano Ronaldo was shown a red card on Thursday night as Portugal fell 2–0 to Ireland, missing yet another chance to seal their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Troy Parrott was the hero of the night, scoring twice in the first half to keep Ireland’s World Cup hopes alive and deliver a memorable win at the Aviva Stadium.
Portugal, desperate to get back into the match, saw their captain lose his cool. Ronaldo was sent off just after the hour mark for elbowing Dara O’Shea in the back — a moment that summed up the visitors’ frustration.
Despite the defeat, Portugal still sit on top of Group F with 10 points, two ahead of Hungary and three above Ireland, with one game left on Sunday. The group winner qualifies automatically, while second-place teams head to the playoffs.
Parrott could hardly contain his emotions after the match.
“This is probably the best night of my entire life,” the AZ Alkmaar striker told RTE. “I’m overwhelmed… I’m over the moon.”
Portugal had already wasted a chance to qualify last month when they drew with Hungary, and Thursday’s loss now puts real pressure on Roberto Martínez’s men.
Earlier on Thursday, Hungary beat Armenia 1–0, which meant Ireland needed at least a draw to keep their hopes alive. Instead, they delivered one of the biggest results in their modern football history. Ireland haven’t appeared at a World Cup since 2002.
How the Match Unfolded
Portugal dominated early possession, but Ireland defended smartly and threatened on the counter.
In the 17th minute, Parrott headed in the opener after Liam Scales flicked a corner across goal.
Portugal responded with chances of their own — Joao Neves fired wide, and Joao Felix sent a header over the bar — but Ireland nearly doubled their lead when Chiedozie Ogbene hit the post.
Just before halftime, Parrott struck again, cutting in from the left and firing low past Diogo Costa at the near post.
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Ronaldo Sees Red
The turning point came in the 60th minute when Ronaldo, now 40, lashed out in frustration, catching O’Shea with an elbow. VAR reviewed the incident and confirmed the red card — his 13th career dismissal, but his first ever for Portugal.
He sarcastically applauded the home fans as he walked off and exchanged sharp words with Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrímsson before eventually shaking his hand.
Ronaldo had also missed a penalty against Ireland in October, making this an especially tough pair of fixtures for the Portuguese captain. Depending on the length of his ban, he could even miss the start of the World Cup if Portugal qualify.
Bernardo Silva admitted the team was simply not good enough on the night.
“We’re sad and disappointed,” he said. “Credit to Ireland — they’re well organized and caused us a lot of problems, just like they did in Portugal.”
