Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo says he hopes Ireland fans boo him when Portugal face the hosts in Thursday’s World Cup qualifier in Dublin.

A win would seal Portugal’s place at the 2026 World Cup finals, and Ronaldo believes that if the Irish crowd directs their energy toward him, it could ease the pressure on his teammates.

“The stadium will boo me — I’m used to it. I certainly hope they do. Maybe it will take the pressure off other players,” Ronaldo told reporters on Wednesday.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, now 40, is aiming to appear in a record sixth World Cup next summer. Portugal currently top Group F by five points with two matches remaining.

Ronaldo expects a tough challenge against Ireland, predicting a compact and disciplined performance from the home side.

“It will be a difficult match. They’ll sit back and try to deny us space,” he said.

When asked whether he dreamed of scoring his 1,000th career goal in a World Cup final, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward laughed off the idea.

“You’ve been watching too many movies — that would be too perfect,” he joked. “All this data makes me happy, but a national team never depends on one player. Still, I like making a difference with goals.”

Ronaldo, who now plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, has scored 953 career goals so far. He remains the top men’s international goalscorer with 143 goals for Portugal.

Earlier this week, Ronaldo hinted that the 2026 World Cup could be his last major tournament and that retirement may come within the next few years. However, on Wednesday, he shifted focus back to the team’s objectives.

“There’s no point in being repetitive and losing focus,” he said. “Maybe later I’ll talk more about my future, but right now, Portugal has another chance to reach another finals.”