Cristiano Ronaldo endured a disappointing start to the FIFA World Cup 2026 as Portugal are held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo.

Key Points

  • Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo struggled, failing to register a shot on target and managing just 25 touches.
  • DR Congo midfielder Ngal'ayel Mukau said Ronaldo is no longer the same dominant player and can be contained.

Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating start to the FIFA World Cup 2026 as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening Group K match.

Henry Questions Ronaldo's Attacking Role

The star striker failed to register a shot on target and struggled to influence the game, prompting criticism from former France star Thierry Henry, who questioned his movement and impact in attack.

Speaking on Fox Sports after the match, Henry pointed to a second-half moment involving Bruno Fernandes as an example of how Ronaldo's desire to get on the scoresheet may have actually hurt Portugal.

'The team needs to score, not you need to score. Because he wants to score, he goes into the path of Bruno Fernandes,' Henry said of Ronaldo.

The former Arsenal and Barcelona striker then broke down the move in detail, arguing that Ronaldo's run made life easier for the DR Congo defence.

'If you make that run here, you make the defender take a decision to crash the six-yard box. But because he wants to score, he goes into the path of Bruno Fernandes. If he goes into that six-yard box, you've been in that situation. You would have had to follow him, and then it would have been a tap-in for Bruno Fernandes.'

'But because he wants to score, he goes into the path of the back pass. You see both players, and it's easier for you to defend. You saw the reaction of Bruno Fernandes behind, going like, let it roll, make a run, create space, so I can tap it in. It didn't happen,' Henry added.

DR Congo Praise Defensive Discipline

It was a rare off-night for one of football's greatest goalscorers. Ronaldo managed just 25 touches throughout the game and was unable to find the breakthrough Portugal desperately needed.

His struggles did not go unnoticed by the opposition either.

DR Congo midfielder Ngal'ayel Mukau, whose team produced one of the early surprises of the tournament, suggested that the Portugal captain is no longer the unstoppable force he once was.

'We know that Ronaldo isn't the same as before,' Mukau said. 'So we know that he runs less, less efforts. So yeah, it was up to our defence to stop him, and they did a great job.'

Frustrating Start for Portugal's Campaign

The draw was disappointing for Ronaldo, especially with so many of football's biggest stars making headlines in their opening matches.

Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick for Argentina while Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Vinicius Junior and Christian Pulisic all found the net for their respective countries.

Against that backdrop, Ronaldo's scoreless display stood out even more.

The Portuguese superstar did have a couple of opportunities to make history. Efforts in the 68th and 73rd minutes drifted wide, and his frustration was clear for all to see after each missed chance.

Still, the night was not without significance. Ronaldo joined Messi as the only players ever to feature in six men's World Cups, adding yet another remarkable milestone to his legendary career.

While he skipped media duties after the match, Ronaldo later addressed the result on social media, striking a defiant tone.

'It wasn't the start we wanted, but this is far from over,' he wrote.

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Source: Rediff.com