'It Wasn't The Start We Wanted But...': Cristiano Ronaldo Reacts After DR Congo Stun Portugal

Published 17 June 2026 · sports

'It Wasn't The Start We Wanted But...': Cristiano Ronaldo Reacts After DR Congo Stun Portugal Published By, Last Updated: June 18, 2026, 04:18 IST Portugal

'It Wasn't The Start We Wanted But...': Cristiano Ronaldo Reacts After DR Congo Stun Portugal Published By, Last Updated: June 18, 2026, 04:18 IST Portugal faced DR Congo in their opening Group K match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 but failed to get the better of the African side, with the contest ending in a 1-1 draw. Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after Portugal play 1-1 draw against DR Congo. (Picture Credit: AP) Football legend Cristiano Ronaldo took to X on Wednesday (Thursday IST) to share a message after Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening Group K match of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The 2016 European champions faced DR Congo at NRG Stadium in Houston and made a dream start to the contest, taking the lead in the sixth minute through a superb strike from midfielder João Neves.

However, they were unable to maintain their advantage and had to settle for a point against the African nation. A couple of hours after Portugal dropped points in front of 68,777 spectators, Ronaldo posted a message on X that quickly went viral. The 41-year-old shared a picture of himself from the match and captioned it: “Não era o arranque que queríamos, mas isto está longe de ter acabado. Cabeça levantada e foco no próximo jogo" (“It wasn’t the start we wanted, but this is far from over. Head up and focus on the next game"). Here’s a look Não era o arranque que queríamos, mas isto está longe de ter acabado. Cabeça levantada e foco no próximo jogo. pic.twitter.com/YoH3RQcz9z— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) June 17, 2026 There were high expectations from Ronaldo heading into the match against DR Congo, but the veteran forward failed to make an impact.

In fact, he faced heavy criticism on social media for his below-par display in what many viewed as Portugal’s easiest group-stage fixture. 1st ever WC point in 52 years for Congo Democratic Republic of Congo secured their first ever point at the FIFA World Cup finals on Wednesday. Yoane Wissa’s header cancelled out Joao Neves’s early goal and the African side — appearing in their first World Cup since 1974 when it was known as Zaire — more than held their own. The DRC’s achievement was even greater given their preparations had been disrupted by the Ebola outbreak back in their country. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Harshit Bisht Senior Sub-editor Harshit Bisht is a sports journalist with CNN-News18 since July 1, 2024, and covers cricket with a sharp eye for records, trends, and match analysis.