Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group F - Portugal v Hungary - Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal - October 14, 2025 Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts REUTERS/Pedro Nunes
(Reuters) -Cristiano Ronaldo expects to be booed against Ireland but hopes the attention may ease the pressure on his Portugal teammates during Thursday's World Cup qualifier in Dublin.
The 40-year-old cheekily celebrated Ruben Neves' 91st minute header in front of Irish defender Jake O'Brien's face last month during their 1-0 win in the reverse fixture, but he promised to be a "good boy" at the Aviva Stadium.
Unbeaten Portugal lead Group F with three wins in four games, and a win will seal their direct qualification to the 2026 World Cup, with Ronaldo aiming to feature in his sixth edition of the tournament.
"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 on Wednesday.
Ireland sit third in the group, six points off Portugal and one behind Hungary, and must take at least a point against the Portuguese to keep their play-off hopes alive ahead of their final game against Hungary.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Ireland captain Nathan Collins said he "didn't understand" Ronaldo's on the 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 Ireland even if the Aviva crowd turns on him. "Of course, it will be tough match. I hope they don't boo me too much," the five-times Ballon d'Or winner said. "I swear that I'm going to try to be a good boy."
Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, has scored over 950 goals for club and country and recently said he will hang up his boots in "one or two years".
(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
