Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo was shown a straight red card for a reckless elbow during the World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland, a match Portugal went on to lose 2-0. The red card, the first of his 226-match international career, now places his participation in the opening game of the 2026 World Cup in jeopardy.

The incident occurred in the 61st minute when Ronaldo swung his elbow at Irish defender Dara O'Shea during a contest for the ball in the penalty area. Initially shown a yellow card, the referee upgraded the punishment to a straight red after consulting the VAR pitchside monitor, deeming the action an act of violent conduct. This red card is the 13th of his professional career.

FIFA's disciplinary code states that actions like elbowing, classified as "assault" or "violent conduct," typically result in a ban of at least two, and often three, matches.

Ronaldo is already confirmed to miss Portugal's final qualifier against Armenia this Sunday. Should the FIFA Disciplinary Committee impose a ban of two matches or more, the remaining suspension would carry over to the World Cup finals next year in North America, assuming Portugal secures automatic qualification.

As he left the pitch, Ronaldo was seen sarcastically applauding and giving a thumbs-up gesture to the jeering Irish fans, a reaction that has drawn further criticism. The final length of the ban is now pending an official decision, making Ronaldo's availability for the 2026 World Cup group stage opener a significant focus of concern.