There could be positive news for Portugal, as Cristiano Ronaldo will be able to play his team’s opening match at next year’s World Cup, hosted by three countries, after FIFA suspended the final two games of his three-match ban on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
Ronaldo was sent off for elbowing defender Dara O’Shea in the back during Portugal’s 2-0 penultimate qualifying match against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin earlier this month. The referee initially showed the 40-year-old Ronaldo a yellow card but later changed his decision after VAR (Video Assistant Referee) and showed him a straight red card. And you might be surprised to know that this red card is the first of his international career.
The red card meant Ronaldo missed his team’s final group game, where Portugal secured qualification with a 9-1 win over Armenia.
That red card meant Ronaldo missed his team’s final group game, where Portugal secured qualification with a 9-1 win over Armenia, and world football’s governing body, FIFA, confirmed that CR7 had been banned for three matches but would not face any further punishment unless he repeated the offense.
“In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the serving of the two remaining matches has been suspended under a one-year probation period,” a FIFA statement said, according to Reuters.
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“If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension set out in the disciplinary decision shall be deemed automatically revoked, and the remaining two matches must be served immediately at the next official matches of the Portugal national team.”
Ronaldo has won almost every trophy in his career, barring the World Cup. If the Portuguese star gets a chance to represent his country at the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, it will be his sixth appearance.