Cristiano Ronaldo insisted Portugal’s World Cup campaign is far from finished after a disappointing 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their Group K opener in Houston on 18 June 2026, urging his side to refocus ahead of their next fixture.
Portugal dominated possession throughout but managed just one shot on target in a result that raised immediate questions about their title credentials. Ronaldo, who played all 90 minutes and saw all three of his efforts miss the target, was defiant in his assessment afterwards.
“Nothing was lacking,” the 41-year-old told reporters. “That’s football. Portugal could have won, but they could also have lost.” On Instagram, he struck a similar tone. “It wasn’t the start we wanted, but this is far from over. Heads up and focus on the next game,” he wrote.
The draw came on the same night that Argentina’s Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria, a contrast that was hard to ignore. Ronaldo joined Messi as the only players in history to appear at six World Cups, but unlike his long-time rival, he endured an off night in Houston. It is also worth noting that Ronaldo has not scored a non-penalty goal in a major international competition since 19 June 2021.
Joao Felix, Ronaldo’s Al Nassr teammate, was philosophical about DR Congo’s performance as the African nation secured their first-ever World Cup point. “The first game is always the first game,” he said. “Even if it’s against a weaker team, they are playing for their country. If it’s a dream for us, it’s a dream for them too. They always give a little extra.”
Felix, who beat Ronaldo to the Saudi Pro League’s player of the season award, expressed confidence that Portugal would improve. “We will definitely improve. It’s about seeing what we didn’t do well and correcting it in the next game, so we can win,” he said.
Portugal face Uzbekistan on Tuesday in Houston before their final Group K match against Colombia on 27 June.
