As Ronaldo walked towards the tunnel to return to the locker room, many DR Congo fans turned towards him and repeatedly chanted "Messi". The Portugal national team captain did not react to this. On his way, he briefly hugged a member of the DR Congo team, then turned towards another stands area to clap and thank the Portugal fans.
Congo fans chanted "Messi" as Ronaldo headed to the locker room after the World Cup 2026 opener.
Ronaldo was one of the players who left the field earliest after the opening match. Most other Portugal players stayed longer, acknowledging the fans, before returning to the locker room.
Regarding the 1-1 draw, Ronaldo said, "We did everything. That's football. Portugal could have won, but also could have lost".
Afterwards, he wrote on social media to reassure fans: "This isn't the start we wanted, but it's far from over. Keep our heads up and focus on the next game".
Portugal took the lead thanks to a header from Joao Neves in the 6th minute, but could not hold onto the advantage. In first-half stoppage time, Yoane Wissa headed in the equalizer for DR Congo. Ronaldo did not play particularly well in over 90 minutes. When teammates set him up with two low crosses in the second half, he missed both tap-ins.
Neves opened the scoring in Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo in the World Cup 2026 opener.
Yoane Wissa scored the equalizer in Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo in the World Cup 2026 opener.
Being goalless in the opening match means Ronaldo has not yet satisfied fans regarding the race with Messi at World Cup 2026. Previously, after Messi scored a hat-trick to help Argentina win 3-0 against Algeria, fans awaited a response from the Portugal captain.
Ronaldo currently holds the record for most goals scored in history with 973 goals, 59 goals more than Messi. However, at the World Cup, Messi, along with former legend Miroslav Klose, holds the record of 16 goals, while CR7 only has 8 goals. The Argentine superstar winning the World Cup 2022 also added pressure on Ronaldo. Fans are hoping the captain forward will do the same for Portugal in response.
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Ronaldo reacts after a missed opportunity during Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo in the World Cup 2026 opener, at NRG Stadium in Houston, US, on the evening of 17/6. Photo: AP
In terms of progression conditions, a draw in the opening match is not a bad result. Portugal still has two matches, against Uzbekistan and Colombia, to lead Group K. Argentina once lost 1-2 to Saudi Arabia in their World Cup opener 4 years ago, but ultimately still topped their group and won the championship.
Portugal can also advance without leading Group K. World Cup 2026 will feature 48 teams divided into 12 groups. The two top teams from each group and the 8 best third-placed teams will advance to the round of 16, where direct elimination begins.
Thanh Quy (according to A Bola, X)
