Portugal Launches Appeal to Save Ronaldo's World Cup Dream
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) is mounting a formal appeal to FIFA in a desperate attempt to reduce Cristiano Ronaldo's three-match suspension. This comes after the 40-year-old Al-Nassr forward received a straight red card during Portugal's shocking 2-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Thursday.
The Incident and Immediate Fallout
Ronaldo was dismissed following a VAR review of an incident involving Ireland defender Dara O'Shea. The referee deemed Ronaldo's action, an elbow, as violent conduct. This type of offence carries an automatic three-match ban in competitive international fixtures.
The immediate consequence is that Ronaldo will miss Portugal's final World Cup qualifier against Armenia on Sunday. More critically, if Portugal secures direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup, the suspension would see him miss the team's first two games of the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Ronaldo has already left the Portuguese national team camp and will not be present for the Armenia match in Porto.
The Grounds for Portugal's Appeal
According to reports from Portuguese publication A Bola, the FPF, led by president Pedro Proenca, will base its case for a reduced one-game ban on three key arguments.
Firstly, the federation will point to the hostile atmosphere in Dublin, which they believe was influenced by pre-match comments from Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson. Ahead of the must-win match for his side, Hallgrimsson had claimed that Ronaldo 'controlled the referee' in the previous fixture between the teams, which Portugal won 1-0.
Secondly, the FPF will argue that during the incident, Ronaldo was initially grabbed by O'Shea and his reaction was one of frustration after being consistently fouled. This perspective was echoed by Portugal manager Roberto Martinez after the match.
Martinez stated, "I thought it was a bit harsh because he cares about the team. He was almost 60 minutes in the box being grabbed, pulled, pushed and obviously he tries to get away from the defender. I think the action looks worse than what it actually is."
Finally, and perhaps most compellingly, Portugal will highlight Ronaldo's exemplary disciplinary record at international level. The red card against Ireland was his first sending off in 226 appearances for his country, a fact the FPF believes should be considered a significant mitigating factor.
What Happens Next?
The appeal process with FIFA will now determine whether the five-time Ballon d'Or winner will be available for the start of the World Cup. The outcome is crucial not only for Ronaldo, who aims to play in a record seventh World Cup, but for Portugal's chances in the tournament's crucial opening stages.
All eyes will now be on FIFA's disciplinary committee as they consider Portugal's case, with the football world waiting to see if Ronaldo's World Cup fate will be decided in a courtroom rather than on the pitch.
