Cristiano Ronaldo’s red card seals Portugal’s fate as they lose 2-0 to Ireland, missing another chance to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup
Portugal fell 2-0 to Ireland and missed the chance to secure their spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They were stunned by two first-half goals from Troy Parrott and could not recover from the blow. On top of that, Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off following a VAR review.
Roberto Martinez’s team went into this Thursday’s clash knowing a win would guarantee first place in Group F of the World Cup qualifiers. But Ireland made life extremely difficult, relying on a solid defensive setup and the pace of their forwards.
The plan worked perfectly for the hosts, who scored both goals in the first 45 minutes through Parrott, gaining a decisive lead. Portugal tried to turn things around in the second half, but ran into Ireland’s defensive wall.
To make matters worse, Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off for a non-ball challenge on Dara O’Shea. Referee Glenn Nyberg initially showed him a yellow card, but after a VAR review, he overturned the booking and issued a red card instead. Following that incident, They lost focus and were unable to change the outcome.
For the second consecutive match, Portugal failed to secure their spot in the 2026 World Cup. In October, they came within minutes of qualifying, only for a stoppage-time goal by Hungary to deny them. Now, once again, they fell short in a crucial clash, leaving everything to be decided on Matchday 6 this Sunday.