Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has urged Ireland fans to boo him when Portugal take the field in Thursday’s World Cup qualifier in Dublin. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the 40-year-old said he hoped the home supporters’ focus on him might ease the pressure on his teammates as Portugal look to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup. “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 told reporters in Dublin. Portugal sit five points clear at the top of Group F with two games left, and a win over Ireland would seal their spot in next year’s World Cup. Ronaldo, who is aiming to feature in his sixth edition of the tournament, said he expects a tough contest against an Irish side that will likely defend deep. “It will be a difficult match,” he said. “Ireland will sit back and make it hard for us to find space.” The Al Nassr forward was also asked about the possibility of scoring his 1000th career goal in the World Cup final, which he dismissed with a laugh. “You’ve been watching too many movies, that would be too perfect,” Ronaldo joked. “It’s always good to score goals — that’s my job. I want to play in this next World Cup, otherwise I wouldn’t be here, but let’s take it step by step.” Ronaldo has scored 953 career goals and holds the record for the most goals in men’s international football with 143. While he hinted earlier this week that the 2026 World Cup could be his last, Ronaldo chose not to dwell on his future this time. “There’s no point in being repetitive and losing focus,” he said. “Maybe later I’ll speak more clearly about what I think for the future, but right now, the goal is qualification.”
