Ivan Kruzliak should have been open and talked to Seamus Coleman in Republic of Ireland’s World Cup qualifier against Portugal.
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that Seamus Coleman was right to be annoyed with Ivan Kruzliak as he constantly spoke to Bruno Fernandes despite him also not being a captain.
Ireland looked set for a vital point in their quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup away in Portugal before Ruben Neves netted a late winner for the hosts to break green and white hearts.
Kruzliak had overseen a game full of controversy as Portugal were given a penalty in the second-half for a contentious handball by Dara O’Shea, with Cristiano Ronaldo‘s spot-kick then
Coleman was not named as Ireland captain on his return to the side as Nathan Collins kept his armband, and the Everton stalwart was fuming after the game with a particular aspect of Kruzliak’s officiating.
Coleman took umbrage with Kruzliak not treating him and Fernandes the same
Coleman returned to Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side against Portugal for the first time since September 2024, but he did not captain the team after Collins was officially handed the armband full-time in August.
