You might have missed it, but the FAI launched their men's senior team season ticket scheme for 2026 this week.
Not the easiest of sells at the moment admittedly, given the form of the Ireland team and the kind of football they’ve been serving up lately, so the fact that the price is unchanged is unsurprising.
The FAI’s big problem, however, is that they don’t know who those games will be against and they’ve no big-name team to hang their sales campaign off. That wasn’t a problem last year.
The fact that the FAI reference Portugal in the first line of their season ticket press release shows just how big a draw tonight’s opponents are. That there was a chance to win a seat for the Portugal game for anyone who bought their season ticket early further reinforces that.
The visit of Portugal is a huge sporting occasion and that’s mostly down to the presence of one man.
Now in the twilight of a glittering career, the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo at the Aviva Stadium for what is likely to be the last time, is an event all of itself.
There will be a battalion of eager photographers camped out at the Portugal base hopeful of a glimpse, hundreds of autograph hunters gathering around the team hotel and hundreds of optimistic kids at the Aviva holding up signs asking for his jersey.
The highest paid sportsman in the world, thanks to an almost inconceivable contract with Saudi Pro-League side Al-Nassr that pays around €550,000 a day, is on the last lap of his career and since turning 40, is starting to concede that his time is drawing to a close.
Ronaldo admitted that next year's World Cup will be his last, albeit with a huge serving of presumptuousness that it will be Portugal who qualify for the tournament and not Heimir Hallgrímsson’s men.
If plucky Portugal can somehow defy the odds, however, and secure their spot at the World Cup with a win in Dublin, it will be Ronaldo’s last chance to secure the one major trophy that has eluded him in his career.
Having taken part in five World Cups - 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 - Ronaldo is the only male player to have scored in five different tournaments, but he has never come closer to winning the World Cup than his first time.
The 2006 tournament in Germany was Ronaldo’s World Cup debut and they made it all the way to the semi-finals before losing 1-0 to France. Since then they haven’t made it past the quarter-finals.
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was widely assumed at the time to be his last one, particularly given how emotional he was when Portugal were edged out 1-0 by Morocco.
However Ronaldo has shown remarkable longevity as a player, aided by the more pastoral route his club career has taken since leaving a basketcase Manchester United side for the Saudi Pro League in 2022.
His trip to the Middle East not only helped Ronaldo pad out his bank balance and goal record - he has 83 goals in 85 games for Al Nassr – but has also helped to prolong his career.
Four seasons in a league that could charitably be called 'less demanding’ along with the fact that no player in the Saudi Pro League would ever want to be known as the man who injured the crown jewel of the state’s soccer programme, has probably bought Ronaldo a bonus World Cup.
Above all, it’s the one competition he’s desperate to win – apart from perhaps another Ballon d’Or.
With 34 senior trophies in his career, including five Champions Leagues, three Premier Leagues, and a brace of La Liga and Scudetto titles, Ronaldo is among the most decorated players to ever kick a ball.
Crucially however, he trails his great rival Lionel Messi.
Their names are synonymous with one another. You can barely mention one without speaking of the other and even today, with one plying his trade in the MLS and the other in Saudi Arabia, playground arguments over who is the best continue across the world.
That we had two players of their talents, playing at the peak of their powers at the same time is remarkable. Add in the fact that one was at Barcelona and the other Real Madrid and the rivalry between the two become perhaps the most scrutinised there’s ever been in the game.
That nine-year spell in Spain between 2009 and 2018 when Messi stood in the blue/red corner and Ronaldo in the white, is already fondly remembered as a golden era for the game.
The rivalry between the two started in earnest the season before Ronaldo left Manchester United for Real Madrid when Barcelona put on a footballing masterclass in the Champions League final to beat United on a very flattering 2-0 scoreline.
When Ronaldo arrived at Madrid he faced a Barcelona side at their peak of their powers winning La Liga in 2010, 2011, and 2013, along with two Champions Leagues in 2009 and 2011.
However Ronaldo was a huge part of Madrid breaking that Barcelona dominance and he eventually became the centerpiece of Madrid’s counter-attacking system under José Mourinho. The clashes between the two symbolised contrasting styles - Messi’s creativity versus Ronaldo’s power and pace - making their duel a defining era in soccer.
Ronaldo would eventually leave Madrid with two La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, before a successful spell with Juventus in Italy.
With both Ronaldo and Messi prolonging their careers far longer than anyone would have expected, there’s always going to be the tantalising prospect of a final showdown between the two.
While the best days of both players are now behind them, they have been able to reduce the wear and tear on their bodies in less demanding club leagues and a final hurrah at the 2026 World Cup in a Portugal v Argentina clash would be a landmark occasion.
Argentina have already secured their place at the tournament, becoming the first CONMEBOL team to qualify back in March. Now it’s over to Portugal and Ronaldo.
That is of course if they can beat Hallgrímsson’s men in Dublin.
Cristiano Ronaldo was a little bit too early for Portugal's press conference in Dublin this evening, but popped in for a quick photo nonetheless #RTEsoccer pic.twitter.com/ioNZtbZs0A
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) November 12, 2025
The Ireland boss knows that stopping Ronaldo goes a long way to stopping Portugal and he's aware that the visitors will be looking towards their star man at every opportunity at the Aviva.
Hallgrímsson is right to be wary of a player who has a strong record against his side, losing just once in the six times he's faced Ireland and scoring some decisive goals.
The 2021 World Cup qualifier is the one that really sticks in the mind when, with Ireland leading 1-0 heading into injury time in Lisbon, Ronaldo equalised in the 89th minute before scoring the winning goal five minutes into injury time. Two late, late headed goals to crush Ireland's World Cup hopes.
The Ireland boss is wary of just how dangerous Ronaldo remains and is particularly concerned by his aerial threat. "He is still scoring goals and breaking records," Hallgrímsson said.
"One of the reasons why they are such a unique attacking team is his desire to score goals. They will deliver crosses, they will try to find him all of the time.
"Most teams, when they are winning, would cool the game down, but Portugal want to score more goals and he is one of the reasons why this Portuguese team is a unique attacking team."
Given Ronaldo's record against Ireland and heartbreaking habit of scoring late goals against the Boys in Green, it looks like being a busy evening for the Irish defence.
Watch Republic of Ireland v Portugal in World Cup qualifying on Thursday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1
