It was only last week that Cristiano Ronaldo was telling Piers Morgan how he hopes to meet Donald Trump one day to discuss world peace. His preference, no doubt, would be for the pair to bump into each other at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey next July, when Trump is due to present the World Cup trophy to the winning captain after the final (unless it’s Mexico v Canada).
First, of course, Ronaldo, all 40 years of him, has to actually qualify for what would be a record sixth World Cup. Portugal – with 10 points from their first four games, putting them five clear of Hungary and another ahead of Ireland – already have a foot and a half in the finals. It would be mission accomplished, with a game to spare, if they beat Ireland on Thursday evening. Even a draw should suffice.
When he chatted, bilingually but briefly enough, with the media in the bowels of the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday, the Portugal captain didn’t have the sounds of a man who had any doubt that they would qualify for what he confirmed this week would be his last World Cup. His first was back in 2006, when Evan Ferguson hadn’t yet turned two. His longevity is a wonder.
When Ronaldo was told Heimir Hallgrímsson suggested he tried to control the referee in the meeting between the teams in Lisbon last month, he came over all incredulous.
READ MORE
“Really?! Ah, I think he plays, he tries to put pressure on the referee. He’s a smart guy – he knows how to push, to take pressure away from the players. I have been in the game a long time, I have seen all this before.
“They know if they lose tomorrow they are out. But they have a chance, they have a good team. They will try hard, but we know if we get the points we are in the World Cup. The Irish need a win and other results to go their way, but they have a chance and we have to respect that. But we have a very good team; we are going to win the match.”
He doesn’t expect the contest to be a whole lot different to that last game. With Ireland needing to take something from the game, does he not anticipate finding himself a little more space?
“No, I don’t think so,” he said. “I think the game will be quite the same as it was in Lisbon. It will maybe be more exciting – Ireland will have a lot more fans behind them. But tactically, I think it will be kind of the same. I don’t think they’ll push too much forward. They’ll wait for us, they’ll counterattack. They are physically very strong, but we are prepared, we should do it our way and try to win the game.”
Ronaldo is no stranger to Dublin, having played twice for Portugal at the Aviva Stadium and making his Real Madrid debut back in 2009 against Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght.
Enjoyable trips?
“Very nice. I really like the fans here, they really support their national team, it’s lovely. It’s a pleasure to play here, I just hope they don’t boo me too much. I swear I will try to be a good boy, but I will try to score to help my team.”
Would he have a chat with his former Manchester United comrade John O’Shea, now the Irish assistant coach?
“If I see him around, of course. We played so many years together, I had a very good relationship with him. It is always good to be back here, the people are always nice with me.”
And that was it. Exit Ronaldo, enter Portugal’s head coach Roberto Martínez who, unlike his captain, was expecting a very different Irish approach to the game than the one they produced in Lisbon.
“I think tomorrow we are going to see a different game,” said Martinez. “Ireland have to win, they are at home. We are going to see another side to them; they can be dangerous on the ball as well, an attacking threat. Especially at set-pieces, the three centre-halves have a lot of presence in both boxes. It is the British type of game you probably don’t see in other parts of Europe.
“But Ireland are well organised, very structured, they look very well synchronised. I think it is down to the meaning of playing for Ireland, they are very committed. I see the purpose and the passion they have to represent the Irish jersey.”
Just time for a quick salute to one of his former Everton players, Séamus Coleman, who was recalled to the Irish squad for last month’s qualifiers.
“I probably shouldn’t talk too much about Séamus because I love him to bits. I enjoyed working with him. He was the best right back in the Premier League in that 2013-14 season. He is still a very important part of this set-up, not just on the pitch but off it too. What he brings in the dressingroom can be very special for the national team.”
