Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo hopes Irish fans will boo him during the 2026 World Cup qualifier

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo said he wants Irish fans to boo him during Thursday’s World Cup qualifier in Dublin.

Portugal will reach the 2026 World Cup final with a win, and Ronaldo said if the crowd focused on him it could take the pressure off his teammates.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is aiming to play in a sixth World Cup next summer, with Portugal leading qualifying Group F by five points with two games remaining.

«The stadium will boo me, I’m used to it, I certainly hope so, maybe it will take the pressure off other players,» Ronaldo told a news conference on Wednesday.

Ronaldo said he expected it to be a “difficult” match, with Ireland sitting back and denying him and his teammates space.

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The former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker was also asked about the possibility of scoring his 1,000th career goal in the World Cup final.

“You’ve seen too many films, that would be too perfect,” laughed the 40-year-old Ronaldo.

«If we go back to reality, all these data make me happy. A national team never depends on one player, but I like being able to make a difference with goals. It’s always good to score goals, that’s my position. I want to play at the next World Cup, otherwise I wouldn’t be here, but let’s take it step by step,» he added.

Ronaldo, currently playing for Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr, has scored 953 goals in his career so far.

The forward is the leading international men’s goalscorer with 143 goals and said on Tuesday that he believes the 2026 World Cup will be his last and that he expects to retire within a few years.

However, on Wednesday Ronaldo said he would rather focus on the team’s goal of qualifying than discussing his future in the game.

“There’s no point in repeating yourself and losing focus,” he said.

“Maybe later I will give more interviews and speak more clearly about what I think for the future, but Portugal still has a chance to be in another final,” he added.

Published on November 13, 2025