Cristiano Ronaldo has had his international three-game suspension lifted, allowing him to play in Portugal's opening match of the FIFA World Cup next summer. It was a strange development, as it was effectively an open-and-shut case following his red card against Ireland in November.
However, is FIFA's decision another indication of bending the rules to ensure that one of the game's biggest superstars will be able to feature in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico next summer?
Yeah, this whole thing stinks, let's be real.
It's one of those "tell me without telling me" moments from FIFA. "Open-and-shut case" is right. He lashes out, clear red, automatic suspension. The process was straightforward until, suddenly, it wasn't.
The timing is just too convenient. Now, I'm not saying there was a backroom deal or a literal phone call saying "make this go away." But it reeks of the "spirit of the game" being flexed for commercial spirit. The World Cup in North America is a marketing monster, and they need all the eyeballs. A Ronaldo-less Portugal for even the group stage is a nightmare for their broadcast partners and sponsors.
It's the consistency that kills me. A player from a smaller nation or league would have already mentally booked his vacation for those three games. The appeal would have been a formality. But for the superstar? Lo and behold, the legal team finds a novel argument or the appeal board suddenly views the "intent" differently.
It's not even about whether Portugal needs him to beat, say, Ghana or Uruguay. It's the principle. It sends the message that the rules have a different weight depending on the name on the back of the shirt. It fuels every fan's cynicism that the game at the highest level is as much about spectacle and revenue as it is about sport.
So, is it an indication of bending the rules? Not on paper, officially. But in practice, in the gut feeling of anyone who follows the game? Absolutely. It's a masterclass in making an exception while pretending the rule still exists. They get their headline, Ronaldo gets his moment, and the rest of us are left rolling our eyes at the transparency of it all.
