Cristiano Ronaldo's red card in the World Cup qualifying defeat to Ireland has left many questioning whether it was the right call. The 40-year-old Portugal captain was involved in a heated exchange with Dara O'Shea, who he shoved into the turf during a challenge for the ball.
The incident sparked outrage from Irish fans and players, who saw it as a classic case of Ronaldo "giving them an easy way out". However, referee Glenn Nyberg's decision to show Ronaldo a red card was met with skepticism by many football fans, who pointed out that he had been in worse scrapes throughout his career.
Ronaldo himself seemed to take the joke in stride, sarcastically applauding the Irish fans and exchanging words with Republic of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson before exiting the pitch. It's a move that has left many wondering whether it was an attempt to distract from the incident or simply Ronaldo's trademark sense of humor.
While some have defended Nyberg's decision, others argue that it was a harsh call given Ronaldo's illustrious career and lack of previous disciplinary record. The debate is likely to continue as Portugal look on with disappointment at their World Cup qualifying campaign after falling to Ireland.
Ronaldo could now potentially miss the start of Portugal's World Cup campaign if they qualify. If he receives a three-match ban, it would mean he misses their first two group games in North America next summer.
The incident has also raised questions about Ronaldo's age and fitness levels, with many pundits suggesting that he may be getting too old for this level of competition. However, the 40-year-old remains one of the most feared players on the pitch, and it will be interesting to see how he responds to this latest setback.
The incident sparked outrage from Irish fans and players, who saw it as a classic case of Ronaldo "giving them an easy way out". However, referee Glenn Nyberg's decision to show Ronaldo a red card was met with skepticism by many football fans, who pointed out that he had been in worse scrapes throughout his career.
Ronaldo himself seemed to take the joke in stride, sarcastically applauding the Irish fans and exchanging words with Republic of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson before exiting the pitch. It's a move that has left many wondering whether it was an attempt to distract from the incident or simply Ronaldo's trademark sense of humor.
While some have defended Nyberg's decision, others argue that it was a harsh call given Ronaldo's illustrious career and lack of previous disciplinary record. The debate is likely to continue as Portugal look on with disappointment at their World Cup qualifying campaign after falling to Ireland.
Ronaldo could now potentially miss the start of Portugal's World Cup campaign if they qualify. If he receives a three-match ban, it would mean he misses their first two group games in North America next summer.
The incident has also raised questions about Ronaldo's age and fitness levels, with many pundits suggesting that he may be getting too old for this level of competition. However, the 40-year-old remains one of the most feared players on the pitch, and it will be interesting to see how he responds to this latest setback.
i mean cant believe ronaldo got sent off in his own world cup qualifying match thats crazy rn... i feel for him tho hes still an absolute legend on the pitch even if he is 40 lol but seriously glenn nyberg should have seen that coming from a mile away 
maybe he wasnt expecting ronaldo to get so heated or somethin who knows? anyway cant wait to see how portugal handles this and what kind of impact it will have on their world cup chances
I mean, I get that the Irish fans were having a laugh but come on, a red card? That's harsh! I think Nyberg was just trying to be safe, you know? The guy's 40 and hasn't exactly been known for his sportsmanship in the past. 
Still, Ronaldo seems like he can handle it... or is that just him being Ronaldo? 
like it's no big deal. newsflash: it's a red card, not a joke! u can't just walk all over ppl on the pitch and expect to get away with it. 
he's 40, yeah, but that dont mean he should be treated any less harshly than anyone else. and whats with ppl saying hes lost his sense of humor? 
. Like, I know he's a legend and all that, but 40 years old is getting up there! 
He's always been known for his fiery temper, so you've got to wonder if the ref was trying to send a message or just have a laugh 
. And omg, what if he does get that three-match ban? 
That would be a huge blow to their team! 
idk if nyberg made the right call tho ronaldo's always been one to push boundaries but 3 match ban? that seems harsh especially w/ his record 
i still think hes gonna dominate on the pitch & prove ppl wrong about him getting too old
. I mean, we all know Ronaldo has been involved in some wild stuff on the pitch before... like, who could forget that infamous butt-fuck-in-the-penalty-box incident against Spain in 2008? 
.
but at the same time, glenn nyberg's decision to show him a red card is kinda harsh 
but he's still got the skills and the mentality to dominate on the pitch 
I don't blame him, either - it was a bit of a laugh. But, oh man, what's going on with refereeing standards these days? 
Three-match ban if he gets it? That's harsh, even for me! 
it was just a shove, not exactly a tackle 
️
and btw idc if he's getting old or what his fitness level is 
. But a 40-yr-old legend like Ronaldo getting sent off? It's not like he's never had a rough patch before 
. And let's be real, if anyone's trying to distract from an incident, it's probably gonna be CR himself 
. I think Glenn Nyberg made the call based on what he saw that day, and we can all agree that Ronaldo's age is definitely something we need to consider when watching him play these days 
. Plus, if anyone can make a joke out of it, it's Ronaldo 
. He's got more guts than most guys on the pitch, so for him to get sent off in that way... yeah, it's a tough call to swallow 
. Poor Ireland, they got served! 
, but was that red card really deserved? 
The guy's been in tougher scrapes before 
and still playing like a pro