Thursday’s World Cup qualifier in Dublin descended into controversy as Cristiano Ronaldo received his first career red card during Ireland’s stunning 2-0 victory over Portugal. The explosive incident ignited a war of words between rival managers after Portugal’s captain was dismissed.

The match reached its boiling point when Ronaldo tangled with Irish defender Dara O’Shea. As they battled in the box, Ronaldo’s arm struck O’Shea’s back, sending him to the turf. Referee Glenn Nyberg initially showed yellow but upgraded to red after VAR review.

Tempers Flare After Controversial Decision

Ronaldo reacted with sarcastic applause toward the roaring Aviva Stadium crowd before exchanging heated words with Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson. The Icelandic coach later suggested his pre-match comments may have affected Ronaldo.

“He complimented me for putting pressure on the referee,” Hallgrimsson revealed post-match. “His actions caused the red card. Unless I got into his head, this was just a moment of silliness from him.”

Managers Clash Over Incident

Portugal boss Roberto Martinez fiercely defended his captain while criticizing Hallgrimsson’s pre-game remarks about referee influence. “The red card is for a captain never sent off in 226 games,” Martinez stated. “Ronaldo was being grabbed repeatedly for 60 minutes.”

The Spanish manager also questioned O’Shea’s reaction: “A center-half falls dramatically at Cristiano’s turn. That leaves a bitter taste after your coach talked about referee influence.”

World Cup Suspension Looms

Ronaldo will miss Portugal’s next qualifier against Armenia. FIFA’s disciplinary code mandates at least a three-match ban for violent conduct, potentially ruling him out of World Cup opening games should Portugal qualify.

The dismissal overshadowed Troy Parrott’s first-half brace that secured Ireland’s memorable victory. The result leaves Portugal facing unexpected challenges in their World Cup qualification campaign.