Ronaldo Welcomes Ireland Fans' Reactions Ahead of World Cup Qualifier

Cristiano Ronaldo has indicated that he is prepared to receive boos from Ireland fans in Thursday's FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier in Dublin. The Portugal forward, who is hoping to have his sixth World Cup, hopes that if the crowd is focused on him, he will feel that the players in his team will have less pressure.

A victory in this match will earn Portugal a place in the 2026 World Cup, and Ronaldo has 143 goals in international matches, a figure that places him in a good position to spearhead the team.

“The stadium will boo me, I’m used to it, I certainly hope they do, maybe it will take the pressure off other players,” Ronaldo said during a press conference on Wednesday.

Ronaldo acknowledged the game would be challenging, especially with Ireland’s defensive approach.

When asked about the possibility of scoring his 1000th career goal in the World Cup final, Ronaldo laughed, saying, “You’ve been watching too many movies, that would be too perfect.” 

Despite his playful remark, he reflected on his career goals, stating, “Getting back to reality, all this data makes 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."

Having scored 953 career goals, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner currently plays in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr. He is the all-time number one international goalscorer by men and he is focused on making one last World Cup.

Ronaldo, 40, has previously indicated that he is likely to retire in the next few years, and the 2026 World Cup would be his final World Cup.

However, he remained focused on the task at hand, stating, “There’s no point in being repetitive and losing focus. Portugal has another opportunity to be in another final.”