The complaint, which is being prepared with the direct involvement of the FPF president, Pedro Proença, aims to ensure that the player is not suspended at the start of the 2026 World Cup and is based on three points: the pre-game atmosphere created by the Republic of Ireland coach, the play itself, and Ronaldo's lack of a history of being sent off while playing for the national team.

According to the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), which has already been notified by FIFA of the disciplinary proceedings against the striker, the statements made by coach Heimir Hallgrímsson, who accused Ronaldo of controlling the refereeing in the match between the two national teams in Alvalade [a 1-0 victory for Portugal], “created a clearly and demonstrably hostile atmosphere around the national team captain.”

The FPF also considers that, in the incident leading to his expulsion, Cristiano Ronaldo “was, as on many other occasions during the game, blatantly grabbed inside the penalty area” and that the Portuguese international had “a reaction of frustration,” elbowing Irish defender Dara O’Shea.

“Exemplary behaviour”

The federation also alludes to the player's lack of prior offenses, noting that the expulsion, in the 61st minute of the match played in Dublin, was Cristiano Ronaldo's first “in over 200 games for the national team, which is absolutely remarkable and proves the player's consistently exemplary behaviour.”

According to the same source, “the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) is convinced that these arguments are more than sufficient mitigating factors to convince FIFA that Cristiano Ronaldo does not deserve to be punished with more than a one-match suspension.”

Cristiano Ronaldo was released from the national team on Friday, ahead of their match against Armenia in Porto on Sunday, the sixth and final round of Group F in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.

If the Al Nassr player is punished with more than a one-match suspension, he could, if Portugal secures direct qualification, miss matches in the final stages of the 2026 World Cup, which will be played between June 11 and July 19 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

On Thursday in Dublin, Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off, for the first time playing for the Portuguese national football team after 226 games, after Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg showed him a straight red card following an aggression against O’Shea.

In a match where they could have secured their ninth and seventh consecutive qualification for the final stages of the World Cup, Portugal were defeated by the Republic of Ireland 2-0, with a brace from Troy Parrott.