Cristiano receives a red card and complicates Portugal's classification for the 2026 World Cup

Portugal lived a bitter night in the Qualifiers heading to the World Cup after losing 2-0 against Ireland, a match marked by the expulsion of Cristiano Ronaldo in the 61st minute. The captain left his team with one less man when they were looking to react, and that disadvantage ended up breaking Roberto Martínez's plan in a key duel in Group F.

Before the red, Ireland already had control of the scoreboard thanks to Troy Parrott's goals at 17' and 45'. The Irish striker took advantage of defensive errors and complicated Portugal's pace from the start. Cristiano's expulsion ended up tilting everything in favor of the local team, which defended with order and closed spaces to ensure the victory.

The defeat leaves Portugal in an uncomfortable situation. Although they remain leaders of Group F with 10 points, Hungary is already two units behind and is pushing hard for the top. Ireland also closed the gap and reached 7 points, which tightens the classification even more. The Portuguese team lost control of the group at a critical moment and will have to correct quickly.

Cristiano's expulsion comes in one of the most complicated matches of the phase. The team felt his absence at the end of the game and did not find clarity to discount. Portugal generated possession but never had a real presence in the area after being left with ten players.

Now Portugal will play its direct ticket to the World Cup against Armenia in a decisive duel. The pressure increases, the margin for error disappears and the team needs a perfect closing to avoid major problems on the last day of the group.

The match against Armenia will be an early final for Roberto Martínez's men, who are forced to add after the setback and the red card that left the team emotionally affected.

Everything is defined in the last day and Portugal cannot fail. Cristiano's expulsion opened an unexpected problem and the duel against Armenia will decide his future.