Castiano Ronaldo who has announced that the 2026 World Cup will be his last prepares for the upcoming qualifier clash in Dublin.
Ronaldo led Portugal is all set to face Republic of Ireland in their next World Cup qualifier this week.
Ahead of the clash the five-time Ballon d’Or award winner gave his two cents on the hostile Dublin crowd.
Ronaldo is a seasoned campaigner and he has not only dealt with such crowds but has also performed exceedingly well in such situations.
The Portuguese superstar said that he hopes that the crowd in Dublin focuses on him so that it takes the pressure away from his teammates.
“The stadium will boo me, I'm used to it, I certainly hope they do, maybe it will take the pressure off other players,” the Al-Nassr star said on Wednesday, as per Goal. “What I want most is to enjoy myself. It's not decisive but almost, we know that with a victory, we qualify. We want to finish it off now.”
One key difference this time will be that he’ll be up against a very familiar face in former United defender John O’Shea. Formerly Ireland’s interim head coach, he is currently an assistant to head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson, who took over in July 2024.
Ronaldo and O’Shea played side by side throughout the former’s six years at Old Trafford, winning three Premier Leagues, the UEFA Champions League, and the FA Cup, among other accolades under Sir Alex Ferguson.
