Cristiano Ronaldo's Suspension Lifted Just in Time for Portugal's Group Games
FIFA's decision to lift Cristiano Ronaldo's suspension from Portugal's first two group games at the World Cup has sparked little more than an eye-roll at the perceived lack of consistency. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was initially handed a three-match ban for violent conduct during a defeat against Ireland, with the first game of which he spent on the naughty step after his side's 9-1 demolition of Armenia.
Ronaldo's presence in Portugal's squad has been deemed detrimental to their chances of winning the World Cup, but FIFA's disciplinary committee has decided to grant him a one-year probation period instead. The decision comes despite Ronaldo's previous good conduct being cited as a reason for the initial suspension.
In contrast, Armenian midfielder Tigran Barseghyan was handed a three-match ban after receiving his first red card in almost identical circumstances. Barseghyan will miss Armenia's next competitive match and two internationals, with his thoughts on Ronaldo's pardon remaining unknown.
FIFA has also confirmed that the top seeds, Spain and Argentina, will be kept apart until the final if they win their respective groups at the World Cup. This unprecedented arrangement could potentially benefit England, who would need to make it to the semis or finals to avoid being knocked out by either of the top two seeds.
Ronaldo's decision to attend a formal White House dinner hosted by Donald Trump has also raised eyebrows, with some questioning whether this influenced FIFA's decision. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner will spend his remaining ban time on probation, rather than serving the full three matches.
As football fans struggle to come to terms with the inconsistencies in FIFA's disciplinary decisions, one thing is clear: Ronaldo's presence has been a contentious issue for Portugal's squad.
FIFA's decision to lift Cristiano Ronaldo's suspension from Portugal's first two group games at the World Cup has sparked little more than an eye-roll at the perceived lack of consistency. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was initially handed a three-match ban for violent conduct during a defeat against Ireland, with the first game of which he spent on the naughty step after his side's 9-1 demolition of Armenia.
Ronaldo's presence in Portugal's squad has been deemed detrimental to their chances of winning the World Cup, but FIFA's disciplinary committee has decided to grant him a one-year probation period instead. The decision comes despite Ronaldo's previous good conduct being cited as a reason for the initial suspension.
In contrast, Armenian midfielder Tigran Barseghyan was handed a three-match ban after receiving his first red card in almost identical circumstances. Barseghyan will miss Armenia's next competitive match and two internationals, with his thoughts on Ronaldo's pardon remaining unknown.
FIFA has also confirmed that the top seeds, Spain and Argentina, will be kept apart until the final if they win their respective groups at the World Cup. This unprecedented arrangement could potentially benefit England, who would need to make it to the semis or finals to avoid being knocked out by either of the top two seeds.
Ronaldo's decision to attend a formal White House dinner hosted by Donald Trump has also raised eyebrows, with some questioning whether this influenced FIFA's decision. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner will spend his remaining ban time on probation, rather than serving the full three matches.
As football fans struggle to come to terms with the inconsistencies in FIFA's disciplinary decisions, one thing is clear: Ronaldo's presence has been a contentious issue for Portugal's squad.
I mean cristiano ronaldo gets a slap on the wrist after his side gets destroyed 9-1 and then armenia guy gets 3 matches for almost doing the same thing... seems unfair to me 
๏ธ. It's hard not to wonder if this was more about appeasing Ronaldo rather than upholding the integrity of the game 
. The fact that he'll be serving only a probation period instead of the full three-match ban does raise some eyebrows 
. On the other hand, it's interesting to note how this could potentially benefit England in their quest for World Cup glory 
. The drama surrounding Ronaldo's presence continues to be a contentious issue, but one thing is clear: FIFA needs to work on establishing more consistency in their disciplinary decisions 
.
. He's still a superstar player with a huge following, and his presence is always gonna be a topic of discussion 
.
. The World Cup is always full of surprises! 
, Tigran Barseghyan getting a 3 match ban after almost identical behaviour is just weird 
, but what's up with England potentially benefiting from Spain & Argentina not playing each other? 
stats show 70% of players who get a red card will miss the next match, but Barseghyan got off lightly 
, and with 2 group games left, Portugal's chances are looking slim 
Still, I don't wanna jump to conclusions. FIFA's got to do what they gotta do. But honestly, this whole thing is a bit of a mess. 
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. But hey, at least Portugal gets to play without their star player for two games... I guess? 
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It's like FIFA can't make up its mind 
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! Three matches for Armenia and zero time for him 
. FIFA is so inconsistent 
. And now they're saying he was "deemed detrimental" to Portugal's chances? Come on, that's just cherry-picking 
. I'm still not convinced this decision was all about Ronaldo's connections to Trump 
. Let's see how Portugal does without him and we can revisit this conversation 
.
I mean, I get that Ronaldo's presence was seen as a liability, but now he's back in the mix and it's anyone's game. 
... yeah, that's gotta be a factor in fifa's decision right? 
And can we pls talk about how convenient it was for Ronaldo to attend that White House dinner and just... make this whole thing go away 
. On the bright side, I'm loving the drama that's playing out on the World Cup stage โ it's been ages since football has had some serious spice 
!