Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo free to play at the World Cup with FIFA set to go easy on Portugal star
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo will be free to play the opening game at the World Cup next year after being handed a reduced ban for his red card against the Republic of Ireland, according to leading Portuguese newspaper A Bola.
Fifa’s disciplinary code, chapter two, Article 14(i) states: “Players and officials shall be suspended for misconduct as specified below… at least three matches or an appropriate period of time for assault, including elbowing, punching, kicking, biting, spitting or hitting an opponent or a person other than a match official”.
A Bola claim FIFA’s disciplinary committee have already made their decision, and that is to hand the Al-Nassr striker a three-game ban, two of which are suspended.
Ronaldo sat out the final Group F game, against Armenia – a match Portugal won 9-1 to secure their place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, meaning he will be able to feature in his country’s tournament opener next summer.
The 40-year-old spent last week hob-nobbing with FIFA chief Gianni Infantino and US president Donald Trump as part of a 40-person delegation to visit the White House alongside Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Martinez boost if Ronaldo is cleared to play
If A Bola are correct, it will be welcome news for Portugal boss Roberto Martinez.
Martinez was a guest on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football last night and expressed his admiration for Ronaldo, who scored a brilliant overhead kick for Al-Nassr at the weekend.
The former Belgium boss said: “Obviously, everybody has an opinion [on Ronaldo].
“I always believed that the body retires the player. When I’ve seen Cristiano work, I’m convinced it’s the brain that retires the footballer. His body follows his focus and mindset. He doesn’t do it for anybody [else], he does it for himself.
“When we’re analysing players, we can speak about any aspect, [but] we never analyse the hunger. He’s got the biggest hunger that I’ve seen in a player.
“Normally a player wins a trophy and there is not the same hunger the next day in their way of working. He has that. I don’t know if it’s natural or something he works hard at, but he’s got that hungriness not to let himself down.
“I don’t think he needs to show anything. I think he’s got to a point now that he plays for himself and the people he loves because he doesn’t need to prove anybody wrong.
“What he’s achieved already is enough to leave a legacy.”
