Portuguese media reaction to Ireland 'disaster': Ronaldo should be ashamed 

Portugal's media was markedly unimpressed with efforts at the Aviva Stadium.

The Friday front page of Portuguese paper Publico

Cristiano Ronaldo and Roberto Martínez should skip the Friday morning Portuguese papers. 

The nation's media was markedly unimpressed with efforts at the Aviva Stadium, suggesting Martínez's side have been taking World Cup qualification for granted and that their veteran icon should be "ashamed" of his part in this "disaster".

Hugo Vasconcelos in A Bola, in words translated to English, said the result was a direct consequence of Martinez thinking pervious below-par efforts against Ireland and Hungary were adequate.

"But what's truly worrying is having a coach who sees the glass as half full. A month ago, after the lacklustre performances against Hungary and Ireland, he declared: 'We have a team that plays very well.' And thinking that is halfway to ensuring nothing changes.

"But the worst thing yesterday wasn't Martínez saying his thing, it was Cristiano Ronaldo doing his thing. What the Portuguese captain did was regrettable. And I'm not just referring to the aggression, because losing your temper in a moment of frustration can, although it shouldn't, happen."

Vasconcelos noted Ronaldo's pre-match ploy of taking Ireland manager Heimir Halgrimmson to task for attempting to influence the match referee.

"Ronaldo is 40 years old. At Wednesday's press conference, he made a point of provoking opponents, the Irish national team coach, and the public. He was the one who created the atmosphere that he couldn't handle.

"But the worst part was the reaction, that whole charade — from the crying, as if the Irishman who took the elbow was faking it, to the head gestures, as if he didn't understand what was happening, to the applause from the crowd, as if it was the fault of the stands, and not himself, that he was being sent off.

"Ronaldo made a mistake. The least he could do is apologise, but what he should really do is be ashamed."

Elsewhere in A Bola, Ronaldo was given a 2/10 rating for his performance, while the Ireland attack of Ogbene, Azaz and Parrott were described as "racehorses" by Afonzo Santos. “Three sprinters always ready to attack at the slightest slip-up."

Marco Vaza in Público, meanwhile, described the defeat as "a disaster waiting to happen".

"The problem with taking things for granted is that, first, you have to guarantee things. And Portugal, which is already thinking about trips and hotels to the Americas next summer, has been treating this qualifying phase for the 2026 World Cup as a formality. The national team has been playing around with the qualifications – and Roberto Martínez has been a great accomplice in the game, with some of his choices and some of his words." 

"Everyone knew how the Republic of Ireland would play, with ten players inside their own penalty area, plus the goalkeeper. It was a team that played with what they had, and this was a tactic adopted by Heimir Halgrimsson. Martínez knew this, Ronaldo knew this, João Félix knew this, the kit men knew this. But would they know how to play well like that? That was the big question. In Alvalade, the Irish almost left Portugal without a victory, but Rúben Neves saved the team from total ineffectiveness. In Dublin, it would be much, much more of the same."

Across the Portuguese media there were also references to a fallout post-match, with suggestions that several Portugal players were involved in “verbal flashes” with visiting fans after the game.