Cristiano Ronaldo could face a multi-match suspension following his dismissal during Portugal’s 2–0 loss to Ireland in Dublin.
The forward received a straight red card just past the 60th minute after a VAR review determined his contact with Dara O’Shea constituted violent conduct.
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Under FIFA rules, violent conduct can result in at least a three-match ban, covering actions like elbowing, punching, kicking, biting, spitting, or hitting an opponent. This could see Ronaldo miss Sunday’s qualifier against Armenia and possibly two more fixtures.
If Portugal drops into the play-offs, his suspension would apply to those knockout ties instead. The FIFA disciplinary committee will make the final decision after a full review of the incident.
Ronaldo’s sending-off overshadowed a difficult night for Portugal, who fell behind in the 17th minute when Troy Parrott scored and later doubled the lead just before halftime. This defeat leaves Portugal in a precarious position as they aim to secure World Cup qualification.
