Portugal's football stars faced furious scenes from their own supporters after suffering a humiliating 2-0 defeat against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Thursday night.
Dramatic Confrontation With Supporters
The match took an ugly turn after the final whistle when Manchester City teammates Rubén Dias and Bernardo Silva became involved in heated exchanges with Portuguese fans in the away end at Aviva Stadium.
Portugal captain Dias initially approached supporters to applaud them, but the gesture quickly turned sour as disgruntled fans made their feelings clear about the team's disappointing performance. The defender appeared to take exception to the reception, becoming visibly angry with sections of the crowd.
The situation escalated when Bernardo Silva joined the confrontation, making eye gestures and pointing fingers at specific supporters as if identifying those who had criticised Roberto Martínez's squad. Teammate Joao Félix attempted to restrain the agitated midfielder, but Silva pushed him away and advanced towards the stands.
At one point, Silva came within metres of the Portuguese supporters, forcefully expressing his discontent before other squad members intervened to prevent the situation from worsening.
Ronaldo's Controversial Red Card
The night had already turned disastrous for Portugal when Cristiano Ronaldo received a straight red card in the second half for an elbow on Irish defender Dara O'Shea. The incident marked the first sending-off in Ronaldo's 226 international appearances.
As he left the pitch following his dismissal, the Portuguese superstar confronted Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, allegedly accusing him of mind games. Hallgrimsson had suggested before the match that Ronaldo was 'controlling the referee' during last month's reverse fixture.
'He congratulated me for pressuring the referee,' Hallgrimsson revealed after the match when asked about their touchline exchange. 'It was his action on the pitch that cost him the red card. It had nothing to do with me, unless I got into his head.'
Martínez Defends His Captain
Portugal manager Roberto Martínez came to Ronaldo's defence post-match, criticising both the decision and Hallgrimsson's pre-match comments.
'The red card is just a captain who has never been sent off before in 226 games - I think he only deserves credit - and today, I thought it was a bit harsh because he cares about the team,' said the former Everton manager.
Martínez argued that the incident appeared worse than it actually was, suggesting Ronaldo had been subjected to persistent fouling throughout the match. 'I don't think it's an elbow, I think it's full body, but from where the camera is, it looks like an elbow.'
The defeat means Portugal have yet to secure their place in next summer's World Cup, though victory against Armenia on Sunday would guarantee qualification. However, Ronaldo will miss that crucial match through suspension, with Portuguese media reporting he has already left the squad and returned to Saudi Arabia.
The series of events in Dublin represents another disappointing chapter for Portugal under Martínez, who despite winning the Nations League, has seen his team exit at the quarter-final stage in both the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024.
