Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo To Miss Portugal’s First Game at 2026 World Cup After Red Card
In a moment of madness during Portugal’s 2-0 defeat against the Republic of Ireland, Cristiano Ronaldo was shown a red card for a nasty elbow. Now facing a suspension, an update has emerged on whether he’ll miss any of the 2026 World Cup.
Despite Roberto Martinez’s side dominating possession, it was the hosts who took the lead through Troy Parrott with 17 minutes on the clock. The AZ Alkmaar forward was then on hand to double their advantage before half-time, sending the Aviva Stadium into raptures.
Frustration was steadily building amongst Portugal’s players, and Ronaldo eventually snapped just after the hour mark. Catching Dara O’Shea with an elbow in the back, the referee decided to show a yellow card, but upgraded it to red after a VAR intervention.
The striker was furious with the decision, sarcastically applauding the crowd as he left the pitch. He then got into an argument with Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson on the sidelines too.
Watch Ronaldo’s Reaction to the Sending Off Below:
Ronaldo Could Miss 2026 World Cup Opener
Ronaldo’s sending off all but condemned Portugal to defeat on the night, as Ireland held on to secure a famous win. But the incident means that the nation’s talisman could miss the opener of the 2026 World Cup.
According to BBC Sport rule expert Dale Johnson, a straight red means he should now face a two-game suspension. That will mean he misses their match against Armenia on Sunday and potentially the first game of the tournament, provided that they automatically qualify.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is set to miss Portugal’s first game of the World Cup after being sent off on VAR review for violent conduct.
He should get a two-game ban which would be served vs. Armenia on Sunday and the first game of the World Cup. (Assuming Portugal qualify auto).”
Currently, Portugal are on 10 points in Group F, two clear of Hungary in second place. A victory against fourth-placed Armenia in their final World Cup qualifier would guarantee their place in the competition in the United States.
Ronaldo, who has scored more goals than any other player in international football, has already admitted that the 2026 World Cup will be the last of his career. Speaking at the Tourise Summit in Riyadh, the 40-year-old said: “Definitely, yes. I will be 41 years old and I think [this] will be the moment in the big competition.”
Chelsea have reportedly submitted a £26m offer to sign a Chelsea star in the summer transfer window, as personally requested by Xabi Alonso.
The Blues will be looking to back their new manager after he took over earlier this year.
It’s been a difficult period for Chelsea, who won’t be competing in the Champions League next season, and they did superbly to attract a manager of Alonso’s calibre.
The club now needs to back him with new additions in order to suit his style, while the squad also needs a refresh after their disappointing campaign.
GIVEMESPORT sources have confirmed that Chelsea are set to sign Atalanta wing-back Marco Pelestra, kick-starting their summer spending.
Chelsea Submit £26m Bid
According to a report from journalist Luca Cerchione, Chelsea have submitted a £26m bid to sign Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka in the summer transfer window.
The potential signing is believed to have been personally requested by Alonso, who managed Xhaka during his time at Bayer Leverkusen.
It feels unlikely that Sunderland would be willing to accept a bid of just £26 million for Xhaka, considering he was their ‘best‘ player last campaign and won their player of the season award.
Alonso knows the midfielder well, and it shouldn’t be a surprise that they are targeting that profile of signing.
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Chelsea Need to Add Experience
Chelsea have heavily focused their recruitment on bringing in young talent from around the world over the last few years.
Although it could be an effective method in the long term, they do lack experience in all positions.
The Blues are one of the most ill-disciplined sides in the Premier League, getting more red cards last season than any other team.
The signing of someone like Xhaka won’t only offer experience in himself. He’s also the type of leader who can help get the best out of other players.
Sunderland managed to qualify for European football last season, despite only being promoted the previous campaign, and Xhaka was a key reason behind that.
Manchester United look set to miss out on a potential new signing as he’s now agreed a deal to join another club in a record-breaking move.
The Red Devils have been incredibly busy in the summer market already, looking to strengthen their squad ahead of a season in the Champions League.
United showed they have a squad capable of finishing in the top four last season, but they were without the distraction of European football.
They are heading in a new direction under manager Michael Carrick, who was appointed as permanent boss earlier this year.
There’s no doubt they’ll need new additions in order to compete on all fronts next season, and they are working on multiple deals at the moment.
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Man Utd Miss Out on ‘Elite’ Star
Manchester United look set to miss out on one of their summer transfer window targets as he’s now agreed to join a different club.
According to a report from Team Talk, AC Milan have agreed a club record deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos.
Manchester United held talks with intermediaries representing Ramos earlier in the transfer window, and he was firmly on the radar of the Premier League club.
United didn’t make a formal offer for Ramos, who has been described as ‘elite’, and he is now set to join AC Milan for a fee in the region of £60m, eclipsing their previous record when they signed Rafael Leao for around £43m.
United were among a number of Premier League clubs to have held talks with Ramos, but it’s no surprise that PSG have accepted such a big offer from AC Milan.
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Man Utd in Market for New Striker
Manchester United do appear to be in the market for a new striker in the summer transfer window.
The Red Devils are looking to bring in an experienced forward to help develop and provide cover and competition for Benjamin Sesko.
Reports have suggested that their dream target for this position is Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen, but a deal could be difficult due to the finances involved.
United need to ensure that they do not ruin the pathway of development for Sesko. They also need to ensure he has strong competition and cover, especially as they prepare to compete in the Champions League.
Tottenham have reportedly made a £100m offer to secure a new signing in the summer transfer window as they continue their big spending.
It’s already been a hectic window for the North London club, confirming three new additions with plenty of other deals being worked on.
Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi have all signed on the dotted line at Tottenham so far.
They certainly won’t be the only additions to arrive through the door in the coming weeks, with Spurs in talks to sign a number of players.
It’s no surprise that Tottenham are incredibly busy after such a disappointing season in the Premier League, finishing 17th for the second campaign in a row.
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Tottenham Make £100m Offer
According to reports, Tottenham have taken a big step towards securing their fourth signing of the summer transfer window.
Tottenham have submitted a £100m offer to sign Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, and the Italian international wants to make the move to Spurs this summer to play under Roberto De Zerbi.
A few details are missing before Spurs can complete a deal, but Tonali, who has ‘incredible pace’ according to the Premier League, remains Tottenham’s number one target for the midfield position.
Tottenham are heavily prioritising signing new midfielders after strengthening their defence earlier in the window. Tonali does appear to be the priority target, with Spurs willing to pay a hefty amount of money to secure his signature.
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Tottenham Working on Fernandes Deal
Tottenham are also working on a deal to sign West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes in the summer transfer window.
The north London club face competition from Manchester United for his signature, but Spurs are actively pushing to bring him to the club in the coming weeks.
The Portuguese midfielder could cost in the region of £85m to prise him away from West Ham, and it’s a competitive race to secure his signature.
Tottenham are clearly prioritising a move to sign a midfielder or two this summer, and it will be interesting to see if they try to bring in both Fernandes and Tonali.
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