France Books 2026 World Cup Ticket as Ronaldo Faces Shock Red Card in Portugal’s Stunning Defeat
France is officially heading to the 2026 World Cup — but the night belonged just as much to the emotional chaos surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo, who was sent off for the first time in his international career as Portugal fell 2-0 to Ireland in Dublin.
On a night filled with contrasting emotions, Kylian Mbappé delivered brilliance while Ronaldo faced heartbreak.
France, the two-time world champions, sealed qualification with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Ukraine in Paris. Mbappé struck twice, reminding the world why he is considered one of football’s most unstoppable forces. Michael Olise and Hugo Ekitiké completed the scoreline as France dominated the second half.
Mbappé opened the scoring from the spot in the 55th minute, blasting the ball straight down the middle. Olise’s curling finish in the 76th doubled the lead before Mbappé added a second — and his 55th goal for France — closing in on Olivier Giroud’s all-time scoring record. He nearly secured a hat trick minutes later but fired over after breaking through on goal.
“He makes everything easier,” coach Didier Deschamps said. “Tonight, he was the leader we needed.”
With 13 points, France has comfortably topped Group D, while Ukraine and Iceland will fight for second place on Sunday.
But the night’s shock came in Dublin.
Ronaldo Sent Off — A First in His Legendary Career
Portugal, chasing their seventh consecutive World Cup qualification, suffered a blow that stunned fans worldwide. Cristiano Ronaldo — in his 226th international appearance — received his first-ever red card after elbowing Ireland defender Dara O’Shea. Initially shown a yellow, VAR upgraded it to red minutes later.
Coach Roberto Martinez called the decision “harsh” and emphasized Ronaldo’s clean disciplinary record.
Portugal will now face Armenia on Sunday without their captain. Under FIFA rules, his suspension could extend to multiple matches if the incident is classified as serious foul play.
Ireland capitalized early, with Troy Parrott scoring in the 17th minute and again just before halftime, dismantling Portugal’s rhythm. Portugal still leads Group F with 10 points, but Hungary is only two points behind heading into the final matchday.
Haaland Fires Norway Closer to History
Erling Haaland continued his meteoric rise, scoring twice as Norway beat Estonia 4-1. Norway now sits on the edge of securing its first World Cup appearance since 1998. Haaland, born two years after that appearance, has 14 goals in just seven qualifying matches.
Italy, meanwhile, struggled past Moldova with late goals and will likely face yet another tense playoff route — a path that has eliminated the four-time world champions in the past two World Cup cycles.
England Remains Untouchable
England kept their perfect run alive with a 2-0 win over Serbia at Wembley. Bukayo Saka struck in the 28th minute, and Eberechi Eze sealed the victory just before full-time. England has not conceded a single goal in the group, maintaining a flawless campaign. Albania secured second place with a narrow 1-0 win over Andorra.