November 13, 2025 few nights in Irish football history could live with for its electricity and drama. In a Group F encounter of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying bringing together the Portugal National Football Team vs Republic of Ireland National Football Team Lineups, the match took place at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. In front of 51,700 fans roaring the Boys in Green to victory, Ireland not only beat one of European football’s heavyweight teams but sent Cristiano Ronaldo down the tunnel with his tail between his legs and secured one of their magnificent results for years – sending a thunderous message to the rest of Europe’s qualifying groups.
This match preview breaks down the only thing: confirmed starting XIs, team news & injury updates, tactical formations deployed, standout players, stunning goals and that amazing red card episode that every other corner of the football world immediately turned to.
Portugal National Football Team vs Republic of Ireland National Football Team Lineups (Confirmed Starting XI)
| Position | Portugal | Republic of Ireland |
| Formation | 4-3-3 | 3-4-2-1 |
| Goalkeeper | Diogo Costa | Caoimhín Kelleher |
| Right Back / Right Wing-Back | João Cancelo | Seamus Coleman |
| Centre Back | Rúben Dias | Jake O’Brien |
| Centre Back | Gonçalo Inácio | Nathan Collins (C) |
| Left Back / Left Centre Back | Diogo Dalot | Dara O’Shea |
| Central Midfielder | João Neves | Josh Cullen |
| Central Midfielder | Vitinha | Jack Taylor |
| Defensive Midfielder | Rúben Neves | Liam Scales (LWB) |
| Right Winger / Attacking Midfielder | Bernardo Silva | Chiedozie Ogbene |
| Left Winger / Attacking Midfielder | João Félix | Finn Azaz |
| Striker | Cristiano Ronaldo (C) | Troy Parrott |
Bench Players
| Portugal Substitutes | Republic of Ireland Substitutes |
| Rui Silva | Gavin Bazunu |
| Nelson Semedo | Johnny Kenny |
| António Silva | Adam Idah |
| João Palhinha | Jimmy Dunne |
| Carlos Forbs | Kevin O’Toole |
| Gonçalo Ramos | Andrew Moran |
| João Carvalho | John Egan |
| Renato Veiga | Conor Coventry |
| Trincão | Jamie McGrath |
| Rafael Leão | Mikey Johnston |
| Matheus Nunes | Festy Ebosele |
| Francisco Conceição | Mark Travers |
Match Context: What Was at Stake
As we headed into UEFA Group F in the World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign and Matchday 5, the Group F standings were a foregone conclusion. On the table, Portugal resided in top spot with a whopping seven-point lead and just two more points out of their last two games needed to confirm their place at a seventh World Cup in succession – Ronaldo claimed this would be his final one only too publicly before. The iconic frontman, 40, said: “Definitely yes because I’ll be 41 [at the World Cup].
Ireland, meanwhile, were clinging on. Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side were third in Group F with four points from four matches (W1 D1 L2), one point behind second-placed Hungary. Ireland (A): Less than a week later, and the prospect of qualification to the World Cup is still alive, albeit by a thread: if Ireland win this match and Hungary lose against Armenia in that evening’s parallel fixture, direct qualification becomes possible. It was as much as a game, although they beat Portugal and lost the title if Hungary liked my light.
It was a significant match for both teams, though neither in the same way. Portugal seeking quick qualification, Ireland required, at bare minimum, a three-point haul winning the group and earning their first World Cup ticket since 2002 lay tantalisingly at the end of a very narrow road.
Team News and Injury Updates
Republic of Ireland — Injury Blows Before Kickoff
Manager Heimir Hallgrímsson had struggled to put together his squad due to injury following group stage qualification. The most damaging was in the shape of striker Evan Ferguson, who missed out on the Portugal game due to an ankle injury and deprived Ireland of their biggest goal danger. Aside from suffering a huge blow to Hallgrímsson’s attacking options by leaving out the Roma loanee, who scored in Ireland’s second qualifier win over Armenia
Ferguson was one of four regulars to miss out, with Callum O’Dowda (minor knock), Mark Sykes (shin) and Sammie Szmodics (knee) also missing. Add in that both Jayson Molumby and Ryan Manning were serving one-game suspensions as well, which left the roster short on midfielders.
Hallgrímsson was defiant, however. He admitted his side required “a near-perfect game” to take anything from the fixture but insisted Ireland had a blueprint that can function.
Portugal — Midfield Returns, Attackers Missing
Portugal had squad worries of their own. Roberto Martinez was deprived of two more dynamic attacking options in the form of Chelsea winger Pedro Neto and Sporting Lisbon forward Pedro Gonçalves, both forced to withdraw from the squad with injuries. But then came a much-needed boost: João Neves (who broke his arm) returned from the injury list to take on his place in the squad and starting eleven at that point.
Also read this: Indian Football Team | Brazil National Football Team | Spain National Football Team
Portugal National Football Team Lineup (Confirmed Starting XI)
Roberto Martinez lined his side up in a 4-3-3 formation, deploying his strongest available eleven:
Portugal Starting XI:
- GK: Diogo Costa
- RB: João Cancelo
- CB: Ruben Dias
- CB: Gonçalo Inácio
- LB: Diogo Dalot
- CM: João Neves
- CM: Vitinha
- CM: Rúben Neves
- RW: Bernardo Silva
- ST: Cristiano Ronaldo (captain)
- LW: João Félix
Portugal Substitutes: Rui Silva, Nelson Semedo, António Silva, João Palhinha, Carlos Forbs, Gonçalo Ramos, João Carvalho, Renato Veiga, Trincão, Rafael Leão, Matheus Nunes, Francisco Conceição.
Portugal’s squad list was as star-studded as expected. Bernardo Silva and João Félix flanked an attack led by the captain himself, Cristiano Ronaldo — still one of the most feared strikers in international football with 143 international goals to his name. The midfield trio of João Neves, Vitinha, and Rúben Neves provided quality, creativity, and defensive cover, while João Cancelo’s marauding presence at right-back was expected to be a significant weapon going forward.
Republic of Ireland National Football Team Lineup (Confirmed Starting XI)
Heimir Hallgrímsson opted for a compact 3-4-2-1 formation, prioritising defensive solidity while looking to hit Portugal on the counter. Despite being stripped of several key players, the team sheet still showed experience and genuine quality:
Republic of Ireland Starting XI:
- GK: Caoimhín Kelleher
- CB: Jake O’Brien
- CB: Nathan Collins (captain)
- CB: Dara O’Shea
- RWB: Seamus Coleman
- CM: Josh Cullen
- CM: Jack Taylor
- LWB: Liam Scales
- AM: Chiedozie Ogbene
- AM: Finn Azaz
- ST: Troy Parrott
Republic of Ireland Substitutes: Gavin Bazunu, Johnny Kenny, Adam Idah, Jimmy Dunne, Kevin O’Toole, Andrew Moran, John Egan, Conor Coventry, Jamie McGrath, Mikey Johnston, Festy Ebosele, Mark Travers.
The three-centre-back system was designed to stifle Portugal’s fluid attacking play. Kelleher in goal had established himself as one of Europe’s better keepers, while the back three of O’Brien, Collins, and O’Shea provided aerial strength and organisational discipline. In attack, Parrott was tasked with leading the line on his own — an unenviable job against one of Europe’s finest defences — with Ogbene and Azaz supporting from deeper positions, looking to exploit spaces behind Portugal’s attacking full-backs.
Match Report: Ireland Stun Portugal in Dublin
First Half — Parrott Fires Ireland into the Lead
Aviva Stadium, packed to the rafters and roaring Ireland out of the blocks from the first whistle; it was electric. Predictably, Portugal began most strongly with Cancelo causing all kinds of problems down their right and the Neves-Vitinha axis attempting to set the tempo.
However, it was Ireland who took the lead and what a lead it was that got all the nation buzzing. Ireland won a corner down their left in the 17th minute. Liam Scales produced a header into the danger zone and Troy Parrott was fastest to react, heading home. Bedlam at the Aviva. The home fans were by this point singing their hearts out and that was the moment when the scoreboard read 1–0 to Ireland.
Portugal responded as expected. Cancelo was still causing issues, almost appearing as a third man up. He tried to create chances and, while Portugal had some moments in an incident-packed first half-period of the second half, Ireland stood firm. And just before half-time, Parrott netted again. Having picked up the ball in the box at a moment of pandemonium, he calmly slotted home to double his side’s lead going into half time; 2–0. The Aviva was rocking.
Second Half — Ronaldo Sees Red
While the first half was unrepeatable, the second was unprecedented for a different reason entirely. Portugal pushes and pushes looking for a way back into the game, but Ireland beds in deep still with pace on the counter. Then we entered the moment that brought the footballing world to a halt.
The Portuguese legend — a five-time Ballon d’Or winner and the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football — was sent off for violent conduct after a VAR consultation on 61 minutes. After reviewing the pitchside monitor, referee Glenn Nyberg made sure of his decision: Ronaldo elbowed Dara O’Shea and had to walk. That marked the first sending-off of Ronaldo’s entire international career.
What happened next was incredible. The brightest and most expressive of the Aviva crowd wrote a song dedicated to Ronaldo. His departure from the pitch was greeted with both mimicry of tears from some corners of the stadium, a verbal spat near the touchline and then a send off that will be replayed for decades. One suspects Dublin was far from “lovely” that night for Ronaldo.
Portugal’s task of salvaging something from the match was just about finished after they were reduced to ten men. With maturity and composure, Ireland controlled the game, killing two minutes to hold onto their 2–0 lead until the final whistle.
Key Statistics and Match Analysis
The final result — Republic of Ireland 2–0 Portugal — was sensational. Here is how the key match statistics broke down:
- Troy Parrott: 2 goals (17′, 45+’) — Man of the Match
- Cristiano Ronaldo: Red card (61′) — first in his international career
- Dara O’Shea: Recipient of the elbow that led to Ronaldo’s dismissal
- Liam Scales: Assisted the first goal with a crucial headed delivery
- Caoimhín Kelleher: Made several important saves to preserve the clean sheet
- João Cancelo: Portugal’s most dangerous player, but ultimately ineffective in the scoreline
From a tactical perspective, Ireland’s 3-4-2-1 formation was exactly right for the occasion. The three-centre-back system gave them the defensive numbers to handle Ronaldo and Félix, while the wing-backs provided width without leaving Ireland exposed. In contrast, Portugal’s 4-3-3 looked strangely toothless. Félix had a poor game, Ronaldo was wayward in his shooting before his sending-off, and the midfield dominance that Martinez typically enjoyed was nullified by Ireland’s compact shape and tireless pressing.
Head-to-Head Context
This was only the 18th encounter in competitive and friendly action between the two nations from Europe. Portugal have had the upper hand in this fixture historically, winning ten of the previous seventeen encounters to Ireland’s four. The only previous victory for Ireland on this night had been in a 2005 friendly Andy O’Brien with the only goal in Dublin. Ireland’s previous competitive win over Portugal had come even earlier — a qualifying match for the 1996 European Championship back in 1995.
Ireland’s fighting performance in Lisbon saw them bow out 1–0, with the reverse Group F fixture on October 11, 2025 ending at the same scoreline and also coming down to a last-gasp winner for Portugal. To beat Portugal, Hallgrímsson had stated his side required “a nearly perfect game.” They got exactly that on the night of November 13.
Group F Standings Impact and Aftermath
Although they lost 2–0 to Portugal, this was enough to see the Portuguese keep top spot in Group F having qualified for the World Cup by thrashing Armenia 9–1 in their last match on November 16 with Ronaldo suspended. This was Portugal’s ninth World Cup and seventh on the trot, which is an incredible achievement for a nation of their size.
Nonetheless, for the Republic of Ireland, it would be a monumental win over Portugal but ultimately this wouldn’t be enough for them to secure direct qualification. Ireland finished second in their group to secure a spot in UEFA qualifying play-offs, maintaining a promising journey towards the 2026 World Cup scheduled for the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Group F table confirms: Portugal secured automatic qualification for World Cup Republic of Ireland qualified directly to the Round 2 second round Play-offs.
Conclusion
Of all the evidence of progress, failure and triumph, etc perhaps none underlined in starker terms than the night to come: The 13th of November, 2025. The Portugal national football team vs Republic of Ireland national football team lineups match that may one day be hailed as one of those remarkable defining nights in recent Irish football history.
The confirmed lineups set the tone for a classic contest Portugal’s galactic starting XI of Diogo Costa, Cancelo, Dias, Inácio, Dalot, the Neves midfield duo, Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, Félix and Ronaldo vs. Ireland’s well-drilled compact 3-4-2-1 built around Kelleher (GK), an inspired back three and Troy Parrott will to lead the line with genuine bravado.
An upset for the ages: a couple of Parrott goals, an unreal Ronaldo red card, and it was a famous 2–0 wage win to bamboozle an unbelievably experienced Portugal team. A masterclass of positional discipline, a moment of magic from Parrott, and moments where the opposition screwed up.
For those following the 2026 World Cup qualifying table or the UEFA European qualifying round, there could be no better seasonal reminder that international football still has room for a mighty upset, and that Aviva Stadium on a November night is now one of sport’s most difficult venues to visit.
FAQs
1. What were the confirmed Portugal National Football Team vs Republic of Ireland National Football Team lineups?
Portugal started in a 4-3-3 formation with Diogo Costa, João Cancelo, Rúben Dias, Gonçalo Inácio, Diogo Dalot, João Neves, Vitinha, Rúben Neves, Bernardo Silva, João Félix, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Republic of Ireland lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation featuring Caoimhín Kelleher, Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea, Jake O’Brien, Seamus Coleman, Josh Cullen, Jack Taylor, Liam Scales, Chiedozie Ogbene, Finn Azaz, and Troy Parrott.
2. Who scored in the Portugal National Football Team vs Republic of Ireland match?
Troy Parrott scored twice for the Republic of Ireland, finding the net in the first half to secure a memorable 2-0 victory over Portugal.
3. Why was Cristiano Ronaldo sent off against the Republic of Ireland?
Cristiano Ronaldo received a red card in the second half after a VAR review determined he committed violent conduct. It was the first red card of his senior international career.
4. Which formation did Portugal and the Republic of Ireland use in the match?
Portugal played an attacking 4-3-3 system under Roberto Martínez, while the Republic of Ireland used a compact 3-4-2-1 formation designed to stay defensively solid and hit Portugal on the counterattack.
5. Who were the standout players in the Portugal vs Republic of Ireland World Cup qualifier?
The standout performers were Troy Parrott, who scored both goals, Caoimhín Kelleher, who made several crucial saves, and Nathan Collins, who led Ireland’s defense. For Portugal, João Cancelo was one of their most dangerous attacking players despite the defeat.
6. Where can I find the full Portugal National Football Team vs Republic of Ireland National Football Team lineups and match stats?
You can find the complete starting XIs, substitutes, formations, key match statistics, goals, cards, and tactical analysis in this article covering the Portugal National Football Team vs Republic of Ireland National Football Team lineups.
