In a dramatic twist in World Cup qualifying, Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off for the first time in his international career as Portugal suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. The loss delayed Portugal’s qualification for next year’s FIFA World Cup, while the result keeps Ireland’s hopes alive.

Troy Parrott Stars for the Republic of Ireland

The hero of the night was Troy Parrott, who scored both goals to secure a historic victory. Parrott, stepping up in the absence of Evan Ferguson, opened the scoring after 15 minutes when Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa mishandled a clearance. From the resulting corner, Jack Taylor’s delivery found Liam Scales, whose header was turned in by Parrott.

The 21-year-old striker doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time, cutting inside Ruben Neves and finishing past Costa to give Ireland a two-goal advantage. The win marked Ireland’s first competitive victory over Portugal since 1995 and a crucial boost in their bid to reach the World Cup for the first time since 2002.

Ronaldo’s Red Card Drama

Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, was initially shown a yellow card for swinging his elbow into Dara O’Shea’s back on the hour mark. However, after a VAR review, the referee upgraded the decision to a red, sending the Portugal captain off in his 226th appearance.

Earlier in the match, Ronaldo had attempted to ease tensions with fans by promising to be a “good boy,” but moments later he lashed out and pretended to wipe tears from his face, drawing jeers from the Dublin crowd. After being sent off, he had a heated exchange with Irish manager Heimir Hallgrimsson before walking down the tunnel, sarcastically applauding the home fans.

Portugal’s Struggles Without Bruno Fernandes

Portugal, missing the suspended Bruno Fernandes, failed to break down the Irish defence. Joao Felix headed over in the first half, and Vitinha’s shot minutes after the restart went wide. Despite being ranked fifth in the world, Portugal were outplayed by a determined Irish side and were unable to recover after going two goals down.

The defeat ends Portugal’s 2025 unbeaten run in competitive matches, which had lasted since a 1-0 Nations League loss to Denmark in March, but they can still secure a seventh consecutive World Cup appearance with a win over Armenia on Sunday. Ronaldo will miss that fixture, with the length of his suspension yet to be decided.

Player Ratings and Standouts

• Troy Parrott: 9.14 – Clinical finishing and leadership in Ferguson’s absence.
• Caoimhin Kelleher: 8.35 – Key saves kept Ireland in control.
• Liam Scales: 8.03 – Defensive stability and involvement in first goal.
• Chiedozie Ogbene: 8.03 – Threatening on the counter and nearly scored.

Portugal’s standout performers were limited, with Diogo Costa unable to prevent the goals and Ruben Neves caught out during both Irish strikes.

Implications for World Cup Qualification

While Portugal remain in pole position to top the group, the loss keeps the Republic of Ireland in contention for a play-off spot, which they could secure with a win over Hungary in Budapest on Sunday. The shock victory demonstrates Ireland’s resilience and underlines the unpredictability of World Cup qualifying football.