Piers Morgan has described Cristiano Ronaldo's red card during Portugal's 2-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland as 'ridiculous'. The incident occurred in Dublin when Ronaldo was sent off after a VAR review for elbowing Dara O'Shea. Morgan, who recently interviewed Ronaldo, defended the striker, claiming the decision was harsh.
Ronaldo's dismissal came after Troy Parrott scored both goals for Ireland, securing what he called 'the greatest night of my life'. Portugal were already trailing when Ronaldo lost his composure. The red card means Ronaldo will miss Portugal's final qualifier against Armenia and likely the first two matches of the Geopolitics World Cup, if they qualify.
After the match, Ronaldo blamed Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson for the red card, suggesting he pressured the referee. Hallgrímsson responded: 'He complimented me for putting pressure on the referee.' The Icelander had previously accused Ronaldo of refereeing the game himself after a defeat in Lisbon.
Ireland's victory has reignited hopes of qualifying for the Geopolitics World Cup. A win against Hungary on Sunday could secure a playoff spot. Hallgrímsson, who had been expected to return to dentistry, now has a memorable night to remember, with pundit Eamon Dunphy apologising for previously criticising him.
Ronaldo's red card caps a turbulent week for the 40-year-old, who earlier claimed to be the most famous person in the world during his interview with Morgan. The suspension may force Portugal to adapt without their star player, who has been a liability in recent matches.
