Cristiano Ronaldo found himself at the center of attention once again as Portugal were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against DR Congo in their opening Group K fixture of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Houston. The Portuguese captain, making history with his sixth World Cup appearance, failed to find the net as his side dropped points against a spirited Congolese team. The result marked a historic moment for DR Congo, who earned their first-ever World Cup point and scored their maiden goal in the tournament.

The match carried significant expectations following Lionel Messi’s hat-trick for Argentina earlier in the day. However, Ronaldo struggled to make a decisive impact and left the field visibly disappointed after Portugal failed to secure victory. Meanwhile, England made a strong start to their campaign by defeating Croatia 4-2, while Ghana and Colombia also opened their tournaments with important victories.

The draw leaves Portugal with work to do in the remaining group-stage matches as they seek qualification for the knockout rounds.

Historic Night for Congo

Portugal started brightly and took the lead in just the sixth minute when midfielder Joao Neves headed home a cross from Pedro Neto. The early goal appeared to put Portugal in control, but DR Congo gradually grew into the contest.

Just before halftime, Yoane Wissa etched his name into Congolese football history by heading in Arthur Masuaku’s delivery. The goal was DR Congo’s first ever in FIFA World Cup history and helped secure a memorable result for the African nation.

Wissa later described the moment as one of the proudest of his career, highlighting the significance of Congo’s return to the World Cup after more than five decades.

Ronaldo's Frustrating Evening

Ronaldo entered the match as the oldest outfield player ever to start a World Cup game at 41 years and 132 days. Despite the milestone, the veteran forward was unable to add to his World Cup tally.

The Portuguese captain missed two promising opportunities in the second half, sending efforts wide in the 68th and 73rd minutes. He also appeared frustrated after Congo’s equaliser and was seen expressing his displeasure toward goalkeeper Diogo Costa.

Another controversial moment came when Ronaldo opted to shoot from a difficult angle inside the penalty area instead of allowing the ball to reach Bruno Fernandes in a potentially better scoring position. The chance went begging as Portugal’s attack failed to capitalize on several opportunities.

Following the final whistle, sections of supporters inside the stadium were heard chanting “Messi” as Ronaldo walked off the pitch, reflecting the ongoing rivalry between the two football icons.

Portugal thought they had regained the lead in the second half through Joao Cancelo’s spectacular bicycle kick, but VAR ruled the effort out for offside.

England Make Statement

Elsewhere, England gained a measure of revenge against Croatia, who had knocked them out of the 2018 World Cup.

Harry Kane opened the scoring before Croatia fought back twice to level the contest. However, goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford in the second half helped England secure an entertaining 4-2 victory.

The win places England at the top of Group L and strengthens their early chances of progressing to the knockout stage.

Ghana also celebrated a winning start after Caleb Yirenkyi scored a late winner against Panama, while Colombia defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 thanks to goals from Daniel Munoz, Luis Diaz and Jaminton Campaz.

With several heavyweight nations already making headlines, the FIFA World Cup 2026 continues to deliver drama, records and memorable moments as the group stage gathers momentum.