Ahead of the decisive match against Ireland in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Cristiano Ronaldo made a remarkable statement at a press conference with the Portuguese team.
The "European Selecao" only needs to win one more point to officially qualify for the World Cup, but the 39-year-old superstar affirmed that he and his teammates will still enter the match with the highest spirit.
When asked about the tense atmosphere at Dublin - where the match took place - Ronaldo smiled: "The audience on the pitch will definitely cry for me, and I'm too used to it. Actually, I still hope they will, because that can help reduce the pressure on my teammates."
The Al-Nassr striker also stressed that he and the whole team are aware of the upcoming challenge: "Ireland are a very disciplined defensive team, like in the first leg. They will play low, have a tight formation and the audience will cheer enthusiastically. Each throw-in will be like a corner kick. We have to prepare for that."
In the first leg, Portugal won a hard-fought victory 1-0 thanks to a goal in the 90+1 minute by Ruben Neves, despite controlling the ball up to 70% and launching 30 shots. This time, Ronaldo and his teammates aim to solve the match earlier to avoid the same scenario.
The match against Ireland will also mark Ronaldo's 226th appearance for the national team, where he has scored 143 goals and holds a world record.
The match between Ireland and Portugal takes place at 2:45 am on November 14 (Vietnam time).
