Portugal's World Cup Opener Ends in Disappointment Against DR Congo

Portugal's World Cup Journey Begins with a Draw

Portugal kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with an unexpected result, settling for a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo. This marked the Congolese team's second appearance in the World Cup, their first since 1974. Cristiano Ronaldo, who was anticipated to lead the Portuguese attack, had a lackluster performance, squandering several scoring opportunities. This disappointing outing coincided with Lionel Messi's remarkable hat-trick against Algeria, further intensifying the spotlight on Ronaldo.

As Ronaldo exited the field, visibly disheartened, he acknowledged the crowd. However, the DR Congo supporters in Houston took the opportunity to chant 'Messi, Messi' in a clear attempt to taunt him.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Underwhelming Performance

Cristiano Ronaldo Flops As Portugal Disappoint

Ronaldo's performance was far from impressive; he managed only three shots throughout the match, none of which were on target. Additionally, he lost possession three times and recorded just one progressive carry. Portugal initially took the lead with Joao Neves scoring in the 5th minute, but they struggled to maintain their momentum as DR Congo countered effectively. The African side equalized just before halftime through Yoane Wissa.

Upcoming Matches for Portugal

Portugal's Remaining Fixtures

• Portugal vs Uzbekistan — June 23, 2026 | 10:30 PM IST
• Colombia vs Portugal — June 28, 2026 | 5:00 AM IST (June 27, 2026)

Lionel Messi's Historic Hat-Trick

Lionel Messi Creates History

Messi's hat-trick not only elevated his World Cup goal tally to 16 across six tournaments but also allowed him to match the record for the most goals in World Cup history, previously held by German legend Miloslav Klose. At 38 years and 357 days, Messi also became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the tournament's history, surpassing Ronaldo's previous record of 33 years and 130 days.