Cristiano Ronaldo Struggles as Portugal Draws DR Congo 1-1 in 2026 FIFA World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo, 41-year-old Portugal captain, struggled as Portugal drew 1-1 with DR Congo in their first group-stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Houston, United States.

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Australian Broadcasting Corporation

The match saw Portugal take the lead in the 6th minute when Pedro Neto delivered a cross from the left flank and Paris St-Germain midfielder Joao Neves headed it home, but Yoane Wissa leveled for DR Congo just before halftime with a header.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

BBC reported on the 18th (Korean time) that "Cristiano Ronaldo struggled after his fellow superstars shone," as Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi had already delivered standout performances earlier in the tournament.

Portugal dominated possession with a 75% share but managed only seven shots, with just one on target, Neves' opening goal, and Ronaldo touched the ball 25 times, the fewest among Portugal outfield players who played the full 90 minutes.

Ronaldo also extended his goal drought to 10 consecutive matches in major tournaments, while the controversy centered on manager Roberto Martínez bringing on Goncalo Ramos in the 38th minute of the second half instead of replacing Ronaldo.

Chris Sutton, commentating for BBC Radio 5 Live, criticized Roberto Martínez's decision to leave Ronaldo on the field for the full match, saying, "That's embarrassing from Martinez. It might work but are we all watching a different game?"

Sutton added, "He's scared to take him off. He's not the manager," as he argued that Ronaldo might score but "the game has passed him by today."

BBC

Before kick-off, ex-England captain Wayne Rooney told BBC One that Ronaldo would be "raging - but in a good way" because the other stars had begun the tournament so well.

Rooney said Ronaldo takes everything as a challenge, explaining, "That's how he's pushed himself and his mentality is that everything is a challenge for him," and he linked the rivalry with Messi to driving them to their levels.

The BBC also reported that Rooney, along with Gael Clichy and Olivier Giroud, believed Francisco Conceicao should have taken the shot himself rather than passing to Ronaldo for one of the striker’s chances.

The BBC described how Portugal’s dominance did not translate into clear chances, with only one of their seven attempts on target, and Ronaldo’s two chances in quick succession in the second half ending with a tame effort past the near post and a finish that flew wide under DR Congo defensive pressure.

“Lionel Messi (Photo:PTI) Lionel Messi became the second player to score in five World Cups, giving defending champion Argentina an early 1-0 lead over Algeria on Tuesday night”

Business Standard

Thierry Henry, speaking on Fox Sports, said Ronaldo’s run blocked a potential pass to Bruno Fernandes, arguing that if Fernandes received the ball in space near the penalty spot, "it would have been a tap-in for Fernandes."

Gael Clichy told BBC One that Ronaldo’s superstar status could "unconsciously" affect teammates, saying, "sometimes unconsciously those kinds of players can unconsciouly take too much light."

Ronaldo’s tournament context was framed by the BBC as he was "unable to follow suit" after the stage was set for him to make history by becoming the first man to score in six different World Cups.

With Ronaldo now on 10 consecutive major-tournament games without finding the net and Portugal settling for a 1-1 draw, the next matches carry the pressure of turning possession into goals as the BBC noted Portugal managed only seven attempts and one on target in Houston.