Cristiano Ronaldo’s immediate message to Portugal after shocking World Cup draw
Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal played their debut game in the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday. They entered the match against Congo DR as favorites but were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw. It wasn’t the start many expected from them, but the good news is they still have two group stage games left.
Joao Neves gave Portugal the lead in the sixth minute. Yoane Wissa equalized in the fifth minute of first-half added time. Ronaldo and Co. pushed the pace in the second half and had some decent chances; however, they failed to score another goal.
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The legendary forward posted a message on X for Portugal after the matchup. He stressed that it’s still early in the tournament.
“It wasn’t the start we wanted, but this is far from over. Head up and focus on the next game,” Ronaldo wrote.
An entertaining matchup treated fans inside Houston Stadium. Many looked forward to Ronaldo scoring, but he hasn’t recorded a goal since his first game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal’s World Cup schedule
Portugal belongs to Group K along with Congo DR, Columbia, and Uzbekistan. Ronaldo and his teammates will return to action on Tuesday to take on Uzbekistan at Houston Stadium. They will face Columbia in their last group stage matchup on June 27 at Miami Stadium.
Only the top two teams per group are guaranteed to advance to the knockout stage. Ronaldo and Portugal’s remaining fixtures can be considered must-win games to keep their hopes of contending for the title alive.
