In light of this, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), according to Abola, is preparing an appeal to FIFA, with President Pedro Proenca directly involved. The FPF plans to argue for a one-match suspension for Ronaldo, based on three key points.

Firstly, the FPF will cite the tense match environment in Dublin, including comments from Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson that suggested Ronaldo "influenced the referee" in the first leg played in Portugal. Secondly, they will highlight the foul incident itself, arguing Ronaldo was clearly held by an opponent, leading to an instinctive reaction. Thirdly, his clean disciplinary record will be emphasized, as this marks Ronaldo's first red card in over 226 appearances for the national team.

FIFA regulations state that penalties for violent conduct, including off-the-ball fouls and elbowing, range from one to three matches, depending on severity. If a player cannot serve the suspension during the remaining qualifiers, it automatically carries over to the World Cup finals. This means if Ronaldo receives a suspension of two or more matches, he would miss early games at the 2026 World Cup, should Portugal qualify for the finals in North America.

Ronaldo "fakes crying" to mock an opponent during Portugal's loss to Ireland at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, in the penultimate match of Group F, European Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup on the evening of 13/11. *Photo: INPHO*

In the match in Dublin on 13/11, Ronaldo received a yellow card in the 59th minute, with Portugal trailing 0-2. The Portuguese captain elbowed Dara O’Shea's back before making a "fake crying" gesture to mock him. Referee Glenn Nyberg initially issued a yellow card, but after VAR intervention, he changed it to a direct red.

After the match, Coach Roberto Martinez asserted that Ronaldo was not violent but merely attempting to push his opponent away to create space. He argued, "VAR made the situation worse, as the camera angle made the push appear like malicious conduct."

However, according to the English newspaper Athletic, Ronaldo's off-the-ball foul is unlikely to be taken lightly, and a ban of two or more matches is "very realistic." Argentine defender Nicolas Otamendi, for instance, received a one-match World Cup suspension after being shown a red card in the South American qualifiers.

If the FPF's appeal is successful, Ronaldo will serve a one-match suspension, missing the final Group F European Qualifier for the 2026 World Cup against Armenia, which takes place today at 9 p.m. Hanoi time on Sunday, 16/11. The 0-2 loss to Ireland meant Portugal missed an early opportunity to qualify for the World Cup. However, a victory against the weaker Armenian side at their home stadium, Dragao, would be sufficient for Martinez's squad to achieve their goal. Ronaldo will certainly be absent from this match due to the automatic suspension for a direct red card.

According to Abola, CR7 has already departed the Portugal national team camp and did not remain to support his teammates. He has returned to Saudi Arabia to prepare with Al Nassr for their match against Al-Khaleej on 23/11.

Hong Duy (according to Abola)