The first game of the Group Stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup was nothing short of a disaster for Portugal. It was a 1-1 draw with DR Congo for Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo struggled in the game, having trouble getting the ball and finishing. This has led to some calls for Ronaldo not to be on the pitch next game.
After the game, Ronaldo spoke about the draw, according to Adriana Garcia of ESPN.
“Nothing was lacking,” Ronaldo said. “That’s football. Portugal could have won, but they could also have lost.”
Ronaldo is correct. While Portugal dominated possession, having 75.4 percent of the possession in the game, they managed just seven shots and only one on target. This gave the team an expected goal total of just .65. Meanwhile, Congo had eight shots with two on target, giving them an expected goal total of .85 goals.
Ronaldo later took to social media to discuss the game.
“It wasn’t the start we wanted, but this is far from over,” the star wrote on Instagram. “Heads up and focus on the next game.”
For the next game, the 41-year-old will need to be better. Ronaldo has not scored in ten straight major international matches. He recorded just 25 touches in the game, the second fewest in a World Cup start of his career. He also had three shots, but none of them found the target. His teammate at Al Nassr and Portugal, João Félix, knows improvement is coming.
“The first game is always the first game,” João Félix 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. 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.”
Portugal next plays on June 23 against Uzbekistan.
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