Cristiano Ronaldo furious with Portugal after 1-1 draw with Congo

Portugal were held to a 1–1 draw by the Democratic Republic of Congo in their opening Group K fixture of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the NRG Stadium in Houston on Wednesday. Despite dominating possession for long spells, Portugal were left frustrated by Congo’s disciplined defending and efficient set-piece execution.

Portugal were aggressive from the start and were rewarded in the 6th minute when Joao Neves finished from close range after a low cross from Pedro Neto. The goal came in a period of sustained pressure where Portugal dominated the middle of the park with Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha, moving the ball swiftly and pinning Congo back.

Congo gradually worked themselves into the contest, maintaining compact defensive shape and making Portugal go wide. And so it did in the 44th minute as Yoane Wissa rose highest to head home from a corner and level the match against the run of play. Portugal dominated the first half but could only manage two shots on target despite their territorial dominance as they had 72% possession.

The second half was pretty much the same, with Portugal knocking the ball around without any cutting edge in the final third. Congo were dangerous on the counter attack and almost snatched a late winner through substitute Cedric Bakambu, whose effort went just wide. Portugal ended the match with 14 total shots, but only four on target, as Congo’s defensive structure held firm until the final whistle.

Cristiano Ronaldo had a largely ineffective evening as Portugal could not break down the Congolese defence. He played in central areas for much of the game and found it hard to get any space between the lines, often finding himself cut off from supply from midfield as Congo did well to close down passing lanes. He had few touches in the penalty area and failed to convert Portugal’s few clear chances in the second half.

Ronaldo was kept quiet by Congo’s central defenders with tight marking throughout and he failed to register a goal or assist. The forward was rather quiet, as summed up by a late header from a corner that was comfortably saved. The performance will be scrutinised, Portugal dominating possession but lacking a cutting edge in the final third and their star forward failing to make an impact.

The veteran took to social media after the game to vent his frustrations. But he's hungry to improve and wants to focus on the next game.

“Not the start we wanted but this is far from done. Head up and focus on the next game,” Ronaldo posted.