Football legend Thierry Henry criticized Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to shoot rather than pass to Bruno Fernandes during Portugal's 1-1 draw against DR Congo in their World Cup 2026 opener on the evening of 17/6. The incident, which occurred in the 68th minute at NRG Stadium in Houston, US, saw Ronaldo miss a clear opportunity that could have given Portugal a crucial lead.

Following Francisco Conceicao's low cross, Ronaldo took an immediate shot, sending the ball wide. Henry highlighted that had the Portugal captain lifted his foot and let the ball continue, Fernandes would have been in a much better position to score. Immediately after the play, Fernandes was visibly frustrated, kneeling and bowing his head in regret.

Henry, a World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000 champion with France, stated that Ronaldo made a clear error driven by his desire to score. He emphasized that in such critical moments, players must prioritize the team's goal over individual scoring opportunities. "Ronaldo has been in many such situations before", Henry remarked on FOX Sports' post-match commentary panel. "But because he wanted to score, he finished the pass that was meant for Fernandes. If he had continued his run into the space away from the ball, the opposing defender would have been drawn away, and Fernandes could have easily scored. The whole team needs to score, not just you."

Bruno Fernandes kneels in regret after Cristiano Ronaldo shot wide in the 68th minute of Portugal's 1-1 World Cup 2026 opening match against DR Congo, at NRG Stadium in Houston, US, on the evening of 17/6. *AFP*.

The former striker also expressed sympathy for Fernandes' reaction, noting that it was a clear indication of a missed opportunity. He explained, "Everyone saw Fernandes' reaction. It was as if he was saying: 'If you had just let the ball go past, and then made a run, I could have tapped it in'. But that didn't happen."

In the match itself, Portugal initially took the lead with Joao Neves' header in the 6th minute. However, they failed to maintain their advantage, as Yoane Wissa headed an equalizer for DR Congo in first-half stoppage time. Beyond the contentious moment with Fernandes, Ronaldo also shot wide from another right-wing cross later in the game.

Ronaldo was among the first players to leave the field after the final whistle, while most other Portugal players stayed longer to acknowledge the fans before heading to the locker room. Commenting on the 1-1 draw, Ronaldo stated, "We gave it our all. That's football. Portugal could have won, but we also could have lost." He later posted on social media to reassure supporters: "This wasn't the start we wanted, but it's far from over. Let's keep our heads up and focus on the next match."

Ronaldo's failure to score in the opening match means he has yet to answer fans regarding his ongoing rivalry with Messi at the 2026 World Cup. This comes after Messi scored a hat-trick to help Argentina beat Algeria 3-0, setting expectations for the Portugal captain. Ronaldo currently holds the record for most career goals with 973, 59 more than Messi. However, in World Cup history, Messi shares the record of 16 goals with former star Miroslav Klose, while CR7 has 8 goals. Messi's 2022 World Cup victory further intensifies the pressure on Ronaldo, with fans hoping he can achieve similar success for Portugal.

Despite the draw, Portugal's qualification hopes remain strong. A draw in the opening match is not a detrimental result, as Portugal still has two matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia to potentially lead Group K. A precedent exists from four years prior when Argentina lost 1-2 to Saudi Arabia in their World Cup opener but ultimately topped their group and won the tournament. Furthermore, Portugal can advance without necessarily leading Group K, as the 2026 World Cup features 48 teams divided into 12 groups. The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-placed teams will qualify for the round of 16, initiating the knockout stage.

Thanh Quy (according to A Bola)