Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to hit a new World Cup record and made an unexpected request in the away game

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo will lead his team to an away challenge against Ireland on Thursday night local time. As long as he wins, Portugal will be able to lock in the qualification for the 2026 World Cup, and he will also usher in his sixth World Cup trip-this is an unprecedented record.

On the eve of this crucial game, Ronaldo unexpectedly stated that he welcomed Irish fans to boo him during the game. "People in the stadium will boo me, and I'm used to it," he said at the pre-match press conference. "I even hope they do it, because it may take the pressure off other teammates."

"What we need most is to enjoy the game. Although Although victory is not everything, winning will almost certainly lead to promotion. "We want to win now." Although Ronaldo only scored four goals in the past encounters with Ireland, he did not shy away from the possible away pressure, but regarded it as a way to motivate the team.

Ireland head coach Hallgrimsson praised Ronaldo, believing that his strong desire to score is the key to Portugal's offensive system. "They are a very good offensive team, and this largely stems from his desire to score goals. They will continue to create opportunities for him and will continue to seek cooperation." Hallgrimsson analyzed, "Most teams will slow down when they are ahead, but Portugal is different. They want to score more goals - Ronaldo is an important reason why they maintain a strong offensive power."

Hearing this evaluation, Ronaldo seemed very calm: "To a certain extent, I agree with him. I know very well when I am in good condition and when I am not in good condition. Performance on the field is the most important, words are just words. All we really care about is promotion." Although he will be 40 years old in February next year, Ronaldo is still an indispensable core of the Portuguese national team. He has started all 8 games in 2025 and has scored 5 goals in this World Cup preliminaries, continuing to set a new record for his total goals in the event.

Now, a more historic milestone is around the corner - as long as Portugal defeats Ireland and successfully advances, he will become the first player in history to participate in six World Cups. Currently, there are only six men's football players in the world who have played in five World Cups, four of whom have retired, and Ronaldo's old rival Messi is also expected to compete for the sixth time this summer.