Cristiano Ronaldo accepts boos are inevitable after what he did to Everton player
Cristiano Ronaldo will match up against Everton’s Jake O’Brien as the Republic of Ireland face a must-win match against Portugal in their World Cup qualifying campaign on Thursday.
Ronaldo will go down as one of the greatest players of all time, and he recently announced that the 2026 World Cup will be his last major tournament.
O’Brien has performed poorly for Republic of Ireland in recent international breaks, and he’s aiming to help his country qualify for their first World Cup since 2002.
A contentious moment involving the pair has sparked conversations over how Ronaldo will be treated by the Irish fans at the Aviva Stadium.
Cristiano Ronaldo expects boos from Republic of Ireland fans after Jake O’Brien incident
Everton’s Irish trio O’Brien, Seamus Coleman and Mark Travers can still qualify for the World Cup this month, but they have to beat Ronaldo’s Portugal in the process.
Portugal won the reverse fixture 1-0 courtesy of a stoppage-time Ruben Neves winner, and Ronaldo wildly celebrated in O’Brien’s face.
Speaking ahead of Thursday’s game, Ronaldo admitted he might face a hostile reception from the home fans but insisted he is fully focused on the upcoming match.
He said: “I really like the fans here. The support they give to the national team is lovely. For me, it’s a pleasure to come and play here again.
“Of course, it will be tough. I hope they don’t boo me too much tomorrow. I swear that I’m going to try to be a good boy.
| Game | Date | Time | Stadium | How to watch |
| Republic of Ireland vs Portugal | 13 November | 19:45 | Aviva Stadium | Amazon Prime UK |
O’Brien joined Everton in 2024 from Lyon for a fee of £17million, and has made 37 appearances for the Toffees.
After enjoying a successful 2023-24 campaign with Lyon, O’Brien seamlessly adapted to the level of the Premier League, despite suffering fitness issues for a good part of last season.
Since David Moyes rejoined the Toffees in January, he has featured prominently, and we’ve seen him provide cover at right-back throughout the majority of this season.
The right-back position has been a problem for Everton, and O’Brien is struggling to perform in the unfamiliar position.
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Right-back has been a huge issue for Everton
Nathan Patterson’s injury struggles have left Moyes needing to improvise, with O’Brien being deployed as the regular right-back in Everton’s defence.
Having naturally played as a centre-back throughout his career, the 24-year-old is now forced to face some of the most dynamic wingers in the world.
O’Brien has performed adequately this season, and it’s understandable that a man of his stature playing in an isolated position could face some struggles.
But it’s clear that signing a right-back is an absolute must for Everton in the January transfer window.
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