Before Portugal Defeat in World Cup qualifying by the Republic of Ireland, Cristiano Ronaldo said he would “try to be a good boy” to keep Irish fans away.
In the heat of the moment, however, Ronaldo made sure to join Thierry Henry, one of the great villains of the Irish football pantomime.
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With Portugal trailing 2-0 after Troy Parrott’s double in the first half, Ronaldo confronted Dara O’Shea in the Irish penalty area.
Jostling for position while waiting for a cross, the 40-year-old pushed his elbow into O’Shea’s back, sparking a sharp reaction from Irish players and fans.
Referee Glenn Nyberg spotted the incident and showed Ronaldo a yellow card, but after being asked to review the incident on the pitch monitor by the video assistant referee, the Swedish referee came back with a red.
Ronaldo, who had endured a frustrating evening so far, preferred to quietly accept his punishment and sarcastically applauded the Irish fans and exchanged words with Republic of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson before leaving the stage.
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Maybe I got into Ronaldo’s head – Hallgrimsson
It was an eventful end to an unexpected but intriguing argument between Ronaldo and Hallgrimsson.
In his pre-match press conference, Ronaldo accused the Republic of Ireland boss of mind games after the Icelander urged the referee not to be swayed by the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Hallgrimsson said that during Portugal’s victory over the Republic of Ireland in October, Ronaldo – who saved a penalty in that match – “controlled the referee”.
“He congratulated me for putting pressure on the referee,” Hallgrimsson said when asked about their exchange on the touchline.
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“It was his action on the pitch that cost him the red card. It had nothing to do with me, unless I got in his head.”
Asked if he spoke to Ronaldo after the match, Hallgrimsson added: “No, I think we spoke enough when he came out.
“There was nothing to say. It was just a moment of a little stupidity on his part, I would say.”
Ronaldo and Hallgrimsson exchanged words as the Portugal captain left the pitch (Getty Images)
Unsurprisingly, Portugal manager Roberto Martinez had a different opinion on the incident and, after defending his captain, lashed out at Hallgrimsson for talking about the referee during the build-up.
“The red card is just a captain who has never been sent off before in 226 games – I think that just deserves credit – and today I thought it was a bit harsh because he cares about the team,” Martinez said.
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“He spent 60 or 58 minutes in the box being caught, pulled, pushed and obviously when he was trying to get away from the defender.
“I think the action looks worse than it actually is, I don’t think it’s an elbow, I think it’s a full body, but from where the camera is it looks like an elbow. But we accept it.
“The only thing that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth is that at yesterday’s press conference your coach was talking about the influence of referees, and then a big central defender falls to the ground so dramatically to Cristiano’s body.”
What is happening to Ronaldo?
Ronaldo could potentially miss the start of Portugal’s World Cup campaign if he qualifies.
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If he is permanently suspended for Sunday’s final qualifying match against Armenia, he could face a three-match suspension for violent conduct.
In the Fifa Disciplinary Code, Chapter Two, Article 14(i) states: “Players and officials shall be suspended for misconduct as specified below…at least three matches or an appropriate period of time for assault, including elbowing, punching, kicking, biting, spitting or hitting an opponent or a person other than a match official.”
If Ronaldo is hit with a three-match ban and Portugal automatically qualifies, he will miss their first two group matches in North America next summer.
However, if Portugal qualifies for the play-offs, Ronaldo will serve his suspension during those matches.
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His fate will be decided by a disciplinary committee, but whether his potential World Cup swansong is affected or not, Ronaldo may not be as charming the next time he is in Dublin.
