Portugal's 2026 World Cup campaign began with a flicker of brilliance and 80 minutes of frustration in Houston on Monday, as Congo DR equalised through Yoane Wissa to claim a 1-1 draw that few had anticipated. It was the fourth time in five World Cups that Portugal failed to win their opening match - a recurring pattern that sits uncomfortably alongside the nation's genuine talent pool. And at the centre of the conversation, once again, is Cristiano Ronaldo.
A Fast Start That Faded Almost Immediately
João Neves gave Portugal the lead with a header that capped a breathtaking six-minute opening spell - 84 passes completed to Congo DR's 12, a near-total stranglehold on possession and territory. It was the kind of start that suggested a comfortable evening ahead. But football, much like disc golf betting, rarely rewards the favourite without complication, and Congo DR steadied themselves, found their footing, and pulled level before half-time when Wissa converted from a corner. From that point on, the statistical picture told a damning story: Congo DR finished the match with more shot attempts (eight to Portugal's seven), more shots on target (two to one), and a higher xG (0.82 to 0.64). Portugal managed just six shot attempts in the final 80 minutes. disc golf betting
The Ronaldo Problem Cannot Be Deferred Any Longer
The timing made it especially stark. Less than 24 hours after Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi had all scored multiple goals in convincing victories for their respective nations, Ronaldo - 41 years old and playing in his sixth World Cup - completed all 90 minutes against Congo DR and finished with three shot attempts, zero chances created, two progressive carries (second fewest among Portugal starters), two progressive passes (also second fewest), and zero defensive interventions. He won two aerial duels but attempted no ground duels. He recovered one ball all match. Even his shot attempts were symptomatic of the underlying issue: unable to find physical advantages against the Congolese backline, he drifted wide of goal, and the attempts stayed wide. Francisco Conceição worked hard to create openings for him on the flank, but the end product was not there.
This is not a one-night aberration. Since his penalty against Ghana at the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo has gone 10 consecutive matches at World Cups and European Championships without scoring. His last open-play goal in a major international tournament came nearly five years ago. In Portugal's last four matches at major competitions, Ronaldo has been on the pitch for 396 of a possible 420 minutes - and Portugal have scored once. Over the past two years across all competitions, Portugal have averaged 1.9 goals per game with him in the starting lineup and 2.8 without, though that latter figure was inflated by a 9-1 result against Armenia. The counterpoint is real: since 2006, Portugal are 5-1-0 in World Cup matches when Ronaldo scores, and 5-5-7 when he does not. The case for keeping him rests on that needle moving - but it has not moved in a long time at this level.
Martinez Deflects, Desabre Celebrates Resilience
Coach Roberto Martinez declined to engage directly with questions about Ronaldo's role, instead framing the issue as a collective failure to deliver service. "After the first goal, we didn't reach the final third at the level we needed in order to provide service to the striker and make use of his movements," he said. "It's about making better use of all the players on the pitch." He also pulled Bernardo Silva, Pedro Neto, Nuno Mendes, and Vitinha from the pitch before the final whistle - none of them Ronaldo. His post-match assessment was measured: "What's important is to reflect, evaluate, and make adjustments for the next match."
On the other side of the technical area, Sébastien Desabre was quietly satisfied. His Congo DR side had shown this kind of mental fortitude before - in their World Cup qualifying play-off against Nigeria last November, they conceded in the third minute, equalised through Meschak Elia, and ultimately advanced on penalties to reach the interconfederation play-off. "Mentally we have the ability to cope with difficult starts to matches," Desabre said. "I know my players are capable of resetting themselves mentally and reacting in the right way." That character, on the biggest stage the sport offers, earned them a point that belongs entirely to their own merit.
