In the ninth round of the European World Cup qualifiers, Portugal lost 0-2 to Ireland away from home, with Cristiano Ronaldo being sent off with a straight red card in the 61st minute for elbowing an opponent.
In the 61st minute, Cristiano Ronaldo elbowed Irish defender Dara O'Shea during a challenge, receiving a yellow card. He also made a crying gesture towards his opponent. After reviewing VAR, the referee sent Ronaldo off with a straight red card.
It's worth noting that the two had a previous altercation. In a 2021 World Cup qualifier where Portugal defeated Ireland 2-1, Portugal was awarded a penalty in the first half. After Ronaldo placed the ball, O'Shea kicked it away, and Ronaldo slapped him, causing him to fall to the ground.
Subsequently, Ronaldo seemed affected, as his penalty was saved by the goalkeeper. However, he scored two goals in the 88th and 90th minutes, helping Portugal complete a comeback and becoming the all-time leading scorer for the Portuguese national team.