Two main things went awry for Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo’s team debut at the World Cup on Wednesday.
First, Portugal tied 1–1 with Democratic Republic of the Congo in Group K play at NRG Stadium in Houston. Second, Ronaldo went a 10th consecutive game without a goal in international tournaments with Portugal, and his missed shots at minute 68 and 73 proved costly in Wednesday’s group stage opener. His last score came on a penalty shot in the 2022 World Cup versus Ghana.
Also known as CR7, Ronaldo, 41, has been known as one of the greatest soccer players in the world and the game’s history. He notably took the field on Wednesday, a day after another all-time great, Lionel Messi, put on a show for Argentina with a hat trick.
“The pressure has always been there,” Ronaldo told FOX Sports regarding his career in a feature video that aired before the match. “I don’t need any extra motivation.”
Both made their sixth World Cup appearances this week, an all-time record. Ronaldo became the oldest non-goalkeeper ever to start a World Cup game.
However, he missed his chance to become the first player to score a goal in six different World Cup tournaments. He trails Messi on the all-time goals list with just eight goals all-time in the World Cup versus Messi’s 16.
“Records come naturally. I don’t chase records, records chase me,” Ronaldo told FOX Sports.
It would take an all-time tournament performance for Ronaldo to catch Messi and contend for the all-time scoring mark. Two players have scored eight goals in a single tournament since 2002, but there were a few rarities of 10 or more goals in three tournaments between 1958 and 1970.
His World Cup goals drought increased to five matches on Wednesday. He had just one in 2022 at Qatar after a four-goal performance at Russia in 2018. Ronaldo had only one goal in each of his first three World Cup appearances in 2006 at Germany, 2010 at South Africa and 2014 at Brazil.
Ronaldo has 143 career goals in 229 games of international play since 2003 for Portugal. He has been a key player with professional teams Real Madrid, Manchester United, Sporting CP, Juventus and Al-Nassr over the years.
Joa Neves scored the lone goal for Portugal in the sixth minute of the match on an assist from Pedro Neto. DR Congo, making its first World Cup since 1974 as Zaire, crashed the party with a tying goal.
Yoane Wissa scored the goal, the first in the nation’s history at the World Cup, on an assist from Arthur Masuaku. DR Congo or Zaire endured three shutouts in the 1974 World Cup against Brazil, Scotland and Yugoslavia.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, didn’t provide answers for Portugal in 90 minutes of play. He finished with no points, no shots on target, no chances created, no dribbles and no ground duels or fouls won. Ronaldo missed all three of his shots on 25 touches.
He and his Portuguese teammates will get a chance to regroup on June 23 against Uzbekistan in Group K action. Individually, it gives Ronaldo a chance to make his mark on the 2026 World Cup, as he chases an elusive World Cup trophy, which Messi won in 2022 at Qatar.
“It’s a huge honor for all of us,” Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes told Fox Sports regarding playing with Ronaldo. “One of those players that, in the last 20 years, has played at the highest level, on par with Lionel Messi. Those are the two players who shaped our generation. I’m very proud to share a dressing room with him.”
That said, Portugal has never finished better than third in the World Cup. Portugal finished third in the 1966 World Cup in England, and the best finish with Ronaldo came in 2006 when the team took fourth in Germany, his first appearance.
