Ngal'ayel Mukau, midfielder for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), expressed immense respect for Cristiano Ronaldo but stated that his team did not devise a special marking strategy for the Portuguese star. Speaking after the 1-1 draw on 17/6, Mukau remarked, "I have immense respect for Ronaldo. He is one of the greatest players in the world. However, to be honest, we didn't do anything special. Cristiano is not the same as before. He is a bit older. At that age, you cannot demand someone to replicate their peak performance."

Ronaldo's impact in the match was minimal. In the first half, the Portugal captain and forward failed to register a shot, complete a dribble, win a duel, or create any chances for his teammates, despite his team maintaining 80% possession. Throughout the entire match, he touched the ball only 25 times, lost possession three times, and recorded no shots on target, even with an expected goals (xG) rate of 0,46.

Ronaldo disappoints in the World Cup 2026 opener, Portugal 1-1 DR Congo, at NRG Stadium, Houston, USA, on the evening of 17/6. *Photo: Reuters*

DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre was pleased with his team's ability to neutralize Portugal's attacking threat and secure a point in their World Cup debut. "The first half was challenging, which we had anticipated," Desabre commented. "This was the team's first match in this tournament; the players were nervous, but they eventually settled in well and scored from a set-piece. Now we will celebrate this point and our first ever World Cup goal, then rest and prepare for the next matches." He highlighted the team's tactical precision and the players' focus and effort. "We played against one of the strongest teams in the world, so we are satisfied with what we achieved," he added, also praising Portugal. "But to go further in the tournament, DR Congo needs to earn more points and victories. We have the resilience to overcome difficult situations."

Mukau, born in 2004, is 19 years younger than Ronaldo. The Belgian-born talent currently plays for Lille and joined the DR Congo national team in 2024, contributing to their World Cup qualification campaign. Meanwhile, at 41 years and 132 days, Ronaldo became the oldest outfield player to start in a World Cup. This marks his sixth World Cup appearance, a record he now shares with Lionel Messi.

For Portugal, drawing their opening match is not a dire result for their progression hopes. They face Uzbekistan on 23/6 and Colombia four days later. A single victory in these upcoming matches would significantly boost qualification opportunities for Roberto Martinez's squad.

Vy Anh