Portugal captain insists “nothing was missing” despite his side being held to a 1-1 draw by Congo in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo defended his side’s performance after a disappointing 1-1 draw against Congo in their opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, insisting there was little wrong with the team’s display despite failing to secure victory.
Ronaldo, who became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match, completed the full 90 minutes at Houston Stadium but was unable to influence the scoreline as all three of his attempts missed the target.
“Nothing was missing, football is like this. Portugal could have won, but they could also have lost,” Ronaldo told Sport TV Portugal after the match.
The result marked another frustrating outing for the veteran forward on football’s biggest stage. It was his sixth World Cup appearance without recording a shot on target and only the second time he played the full 90 minutes in a World Cup match without testing the goalkeeper.
The match was Ronaldo’s 23rd World Cup appearance, drawing him level for the fourth most appearances in tournament history. He has also now gone 10 consecutive major tournament matches, across the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship, without scoring for Portugal. During that period, he has taken 33 shots, with only 11 finding the target.
Portugal dominated possession throughout the contest, controlling more than 75 per cent of the ball. They took an early lead through a header from midfielder Joao Neves and appeared on course for victory.
However, Congo refused to be overwhelmed by Portugal’s control of possession and repeatedly threatened on the counterattack. Their persistence paid off when Yoane Wissa headed home an equaliser to earn his side a deserved share of the points.
Questions were raised about Ronaldo’s continued presence on the pitch as Portugal searched for a winning goal, but head coach Roberto Martinez strongly defended his captain after the match.
“It makes no sense to bench a player like Ronaldo when you need goals,” Martinez said.
The Portugal coach argued that Ronaldo’s movement and reputation continue to draw defenders, creating valuable space and opportunities for his teammates even when he is not directly involved in scoring.
Portugal will now look to bounce back in their remaining Group Stage fixtures as they seek qualification for the knockout rounds.
They face Uzbekistan on Tuesday at the same venue before concluding their group campaign against Colombia on June 28 in Miami.
