Cristiano Ronaldo says he’s ready for the boos when Portugal face Ireland in Thursday’s World Cup qualifier – and hopes the hostility might take some pressure off his teammates.
The 40-year-old forward became a pantomime villain in last month’s reverse fixture after cheekily celebrating Ruben Neves’ 91st-minute winner in front of Irish defender Jake O’Brien. This time, Ronaldo insists he’ll be on his best behavior at Aviva Stadium, joking that he plans to be a “good boy.”
Unbeaten Portugal sit atop Group F with three wins from four matches, needing just one more victory to secure direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup – where Ronaldo is aiming for an unprecedented sixth appearance on football’s biggest stage.
“The stadium will boo me, but I am used to it. I certainly hope they do. Maybe it will take the pressure off other players,” Ronaldo told reporters Wednesday.
Ireland sit third in the group, six points behind Portugal and one behind Hungary, and must take at least a point against the Portuguese to keep their playoff hopes alive ahead of their final game against Hungary.
At a news conference Tuesday, Ireland captain Nathan Collins said he “didn’t understand” Ronaldo’s nose-to-nose celebration during their defeat in Lisbon and suggested Ronaldo may have been frustrated after his penalty was saved.
Ronaldo said he is excited to play in Dublin even if the Aviva crowd turns on him. “Of course, it will be a tough match. I hope they don’t boo me too much,” the five-time Ballon d’Or winner said. “I swear I’m going to try to be a good boy.”
Ronaldo, who plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, has scored more than 950 goals for club and country and recently said he plans to hang up his boots in “one or two years.”
