Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating night at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo, with the veteran forward facing criticism for a performance that contrasted sharply with the exploits of football’s other global superstars.
The 41-year-old entered Wednesday’s Group clash hoping to make history by becoming the first player to score in six different World Cup tournaments. Instead, Ronaldo was unable to find the net as Portugal laboured against a disciplined DR Congo side.
His difficult evening came just a day after several of football’s biggest names delivered headline-grabbing performances on the tournament stage.
France captain Kylian Mbappé scored twice in a 3-1 victory over Senegal to become his country’s all-time leading goalscorer, while Erling Haaland marked his World Cup debut with a brace in Norway’s 4-1 win over Iraq.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi stole the spotlight by scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria, drawing level with Miroslav Klose as the joint-highest goalscorer in World Cup history with 16 goals.
Ronaldo, however, was unable to follow their lead.
The Portugal captain struggled to influence proceedings and saw two second-half opportunities drift narrowly wide. As the match wore on, his determination to end a nine-game scoring drought at major tournaments appeared increasingly evident.
One moment in particular attracted criticism. With Portugal pushing for a winner, Ronaldo’s movement blocked a cut-back intended for teammate Bruno Fernandes, who appeared better placed to finish from close range.
Former France striker Thierry Henry was unimpressed by the decision.
“If he goes into the six-yard box, the defender would have had to follow him and it would have been a tap-in for Fernandes,” Henry said while analysing the match.
“Because he wants to score, he goes into the path of the pass.
“That’s my thing the team needs to score, not you.”
Portugal had taken an early lead through João Neves, but DR Congo responded before half-time when Yoane Wissa scored the nation’s first-ever World Cup goal.
The result leaves Portugal with work to do in Group G, while questions continue to surround Ronaldo’s role as he seeks one final World Cup moment to add to his remarkable career.
