Portugal Faces Another…

HOUSTON — Following a strong start, Portugal struggled for the remaining 80 minutes against Congo DR and settled for a 1-1 draw in a matchup where they were expected to dominate. This marked the fourth time in last five World Cups that Portugal failed to secure a win in their opening match, raising further questions about the ongoing puzzle of Cristiano Ronaldo‘s performance at this level in 2026.

João Neves opened the scoring with an early header, capping a remarkable six-minute phase where Portugal completed 84 passes compared to Congo DR’s 12. However, Congo DR gradually asserted themselves, leveling the match just before halftime with a corner-kick goal from Yoane Wissa. They ended the match with more total shots (eight to seven), shots on target (two to one), and a higher expected goals (xG) count (0.82 to 0.64).

After Neves’ goal, Portugal managed only six shot attempts. Despite the substitutions of key players like Bernardo Silva, Pedro Neto, Nuno Mendes, and Vitinha by manager Roberto Martinez, Ronaldo, at 41, remained on the field.

– Ogden: On a Day of Big Stars, Messi Shines the Brightest
– Welcome to ‘Tehrangeles’: Iran Fans Watch Team Melli in Los Angeles
– 2026 World Cup: Fixtures, Results, and Coverage

As he played in his sixth World Cup, following a stellar performance from Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi, who all scored multiple goals and enjoyed convincing victories, Ronaldo played the full match but only made three shot attempts, failed to create any goal-scoring opportunities, and completed minimal progressive passes and carries.

For all his past glory, such performances are insufficient for the current tournament.

“After we scored the first goal, the game shifted,” Martinez noted. “Before that, our attacking plays were successful in reaching the final third. However, once Congo equalized, the dynamics changed, and our decision-making suffered.”

“It’s crucial to reflect, assess our performance, and make the necessary adjustments for the next match to regain our earlier form.”

For Congo DR’s coach, Sébastien Desabre, today’s match mirrored their earlier World Cup qualifier against Nigeria, where they also recovered from an early goal to advance through penalties. “We have the mental fortitude to combat rough starts, as demonstrated today,” he said post-match. “I’m confident my players will mentally refocus and respond appropriately after challenging beginnings.”

Ronaldo’s two shot attempts highlighted a broader issue: he struggled to gain an advantage against Congo’s defenders, often drifting wide to create space. Even with Francisco Conceição‘s attempts to provide opportunities, his shots were consistently off-target.

Although questions regarding Ronaldo’s role persisted after the match, Martinez avoided direct commentary. He expressed that the team needed to support Ronaldo better. “After our first goal, our transition into the final third was lacking, which limited service to the striker [Ronaldo] and hindered his movement,” he remarked. “We must find ways to utilize all players effectively.”

Every great player may have off days, but this has been a recurring issue for Ronaldo. Since scoring a penalty against Ghana in the 2022 World Cup, he has gone ten consecutive matches in World Cup and European Championship competitions without a goal, marking nearly five years since his last goal from open play in such tournaments.

Ronaldo has played 396 of a potential 420 minutes in Portugal’s last four matches in major competitions, yet the team has scored just once in that span. Over the past two years, they have averaged 1.9 goals per game when he features and 2.8 when he does not, although one match was skewed by a 9-1 win over Armenia. Historically, Portugal’s record is better when Ronaldo scores; they are 5-5-7 without him finding the net, compared to 5-1-0 when he does.

While Ronaldo played a vital role in Portugal’s victories during last summer’s UEFA Nations League, his impact has diminished significantly, and Martinez seems to lack a backup plan. Even with the introduction of backup forward Gonçalo Ramos in the 83rd minute, he replaced midfielder Vitinha rather than Ronaldo.

“In scenarios like today’s, where we struggled to penetrate the box against Congo’s packed defense, the quality of Ronaldo should be utilized,” Martinez stated. “It’s crucial to keep the best goal-scorer in football on the field, especially in games where goal-scoring is essential.”

There was a time when Ronaldo could genuinely claim the title of world’s top goal-scorer. However, those assertions have faded, and it would greatly benefit both Portugal and Martinez if Ronaldo could rediscover his prolific goal-scoring ability in crucial matches. It’s also time to develop a Plan B, just in case Portugal might need it.