Ronaldo Misses Penalties in 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

SadaNews - The European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup witnessed a night full of twists and drama, as Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, Norwegian Erling Haaland, Italian Matteo Retegui, and Spaniard Ferran Torres all missed crucial penalties in their national team matches, amid remarkable performances from goalkeepers who stole the spotlight with heroic displays.

Keeler Foils Ronaldo

The excitement peaked in Lisbon, where Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher expertly saved Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty in the match between Portugal and Ireland.

Despite the miss, the Portuguese team managed to secure a hard-fought victory thanks to a last-minute header from Ruben Neves in the 91st minute, achieving a valuable win for Portugal.

Kelleher, the current Brentford keeper who made a name for himself at Liverpool with his quick reflexes, continued his impressive form in stopping difficult shots, once again proving himself to be a giant-slayer after previously saving penalties taken by Bruno Fernandes and Kylian Mbappé.

A Stunning Save by Mamardashvili

In another match, Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili denied Spain's Ferran Torres a goal from the penalty spot with a brilliant save, showcasing Liverpool's keeper's prowess.

Despite his standout performance, it was not enough to prevent Georgia from losing 2-0, but Mamardashvili's exceptional display solidified his status among Europe's top emerging goalkeepers.

Retegui Misses and Then Bounces Back

In the match between Italy and Estonia, Italian forward Matteo Retegui experienced contrasting moments as he missed a penalty saved by Estonian goalkeeper Karl Hein. However, Retegui refused to let that moment define his match, returning to score a subsequent goal that fortified the "Azzurri's" lead, leading to a 3-1 victory.

Haaland Misses and Then Recovers

The most notable event occurred in Oslo, where Erling Haaland experienced one of his strangest moments in football, missing a penalty against Israel before the referee ordered a retake. However, the result was the same, as the goalkeeper again saved Haaland's shot amid the crowd's astonishment.

Despite this double shock, the Norwegian star continued to impress for the rest of the match, scoring a hat-trick that led Norway to a resounding victory of 5-0, confirming that he is an unstoppable goal machine.