DUBLIN.- The Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo He stated this Wednesday that he expects the Irish fans to “boo” him, to free his teammates during the European qualifying match for the World Cup 2026 between Ireland and Portugal on Thursday in Dublin.
Portugal will ensure its presence in the United States, Mexico and Canada event next year in case of victory against Ireland.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is one step away from playing in a sixth World Cup, with the Portuguese team leading Group F of the UEFA qualifier with a five-point advantage with two games remaining.
“The stadium is going to boo me, I’m used to it, I hope they do, maybe it will take pressure off the other players,” Ronaldo said at a press conference.
Ronaldo considers that it will be a “difficult” match, with Ireland retreating behind and not allowing any space.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid goalscorer was also asked about the possibility of him scoring the 1,000th goal of his career in the World Cup final.
“You’ve seen too many movies, that would be too perfect,” the 40-year-old smiled.
“Coming back to reality, all those statistics make me happy. A national team never depends on a single player, but I like to make a difference with goals,” confessed the current Saudi Al-Nassr player.
Cristiano Ronaldo has 953 goals throughout his career.
On Tuesday he stated that he believes the 2026 World Cup will be the last of his career.
Euro 2028 final venue announced
The Euro 2028 final, organized in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, will take place at Wembley Stadium in London on July 9, 2028, and the city of Cardiff will host the opening match on June 9, UEFA announced this Thursday.
The tournament will feature 24 teams, divided into six groups, and a total of 51 matches. The first two in each group will advance to the round of 16 along with the four best third parties.
Nine stadiums in eight cities (Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, London) will host the matches of the European tournament.
“Eight of the nine host stadiums, with the exception of Wembley, will host a round of 16 match, while the four quarterfinals will be in: Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow and Wembley,” UEFA said.
The final week will be confined to Wembley Stadium, with the two semi-finals on July 4 and 5, and the final on Sunday, July 9.
