Cristiano Ronaldo, not really serious, asked fans of the Republic of Ireland to boo him when Portugal play in Dublin on Thursday, as the veteran forward looks like leading his country to an unprecedented sixth consecutive World Cup.
Just one more victory will be enough for Portugal to qualify for the 2026 tournament, and Ronaldo – who over the years has scored four times against Ireland – says that he is not afraid of the hostile atmosphere. “The stadium will boo me, I am used to it”, the 40-year-old said at his pre-match press conference. “I really hope they do it – it might take the pressure off other players. We know that with a win, we are through. We want to finish it now.”
The Ireland Head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson was full of praise of the Portugese hunger which is why the portugal attack is brilliant. “His desire to score is what makes Portugal different. Even if they are winning, they still want more,” he said.
Ronaldo has found the net five times during this World Cup qualification, and could be the first male player to appear in six different World Cups tornaments if Portugal finish in the top spots. The only one to be able to equal that record is no pther that his long-time rival Lionel Messi. “I know when I am an asset,” Ronaldo added. “The most important thing is that we qualify.”
