Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has received massive news that will see him feature in his country's opening match at the 2026 World Cup after FIFA handed down a special ruling on his suspension.
The Incident That Sparked the Ban
The 40-year-old football icon was facing a potential three-match ban for violent conduct after being dismissed during Portugal's surprising 2-0 defeat against Ireland in Dublin earlier this month. The incident occurred at the hour mark when Ronaldo was shown a red card for a violent elbow on Irish defender Dara O'Shea.
This marked a significant moment in Ronaldo's international career, as it represented his first-ever dismissal in 226 appearances for the Portuguese national team. The potential three-match suspension would have ruled him out of Portugal's initial World Cup matches in North America next summer.
FIFA's Unprecedented Decision
In a rare ruling that has brought relief to the Portuguese camp, FIFA decided to suspend the second and third matches of Ronaldo's ban. The football governing body took into consideration the fact that this was the veteran striker's first red card in his extensive international career spanning over two decades.
Ronaldo has already served his one-match punishment by sitting out Portugal's dominant 9-1 victory over Armenia. This means the legendary forward will be available for selection in all of Portugal's matches at the upcoming World Cup tournament.
Conditions and Reactions
FIFA included a crucial condition in their ruling, stating that if Ronaldo commits another similar infringement during the probationary period, the remaining two-match suspension will be automatically reinstated. The official FIFA statement clarified: '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.'
Portugal's manager Roberto Martinez had previously defended his star player, arguing that the incident didn't constitute violence. The former Everton manager explained: 'I think it's difficult for a player like Cristiano, who's in the box. And today he had two defenders constantly in physical contact. There's no violence. He tries to push the defender away and he was unlucky that the VAR... the angle of the images makes it look worse than what happened.'
The decision comes as a significant boost for both Ronaldo and the Portuguese national team, especially following reports that the Portuguese Football Federation had planned to appeal the initial ban. The Federation had emphasized in their submission that this was Ronaldo's first red card in his international career.
This positive development for Ronaldo arrives just a week after the football star met with former US President Donald Trump at the White House, adding to what has been an eventful period for the veteran athlete as he continues his remarkable career into his forties.
