Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup opener ends in draw against DR Congo

‘Messi, Messi’: Fans Troll Ronaldo as Portugal Held to Draw by DR Congo

Cristiano Ronaldo's FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign began on a frustrating note as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their Group K opener in Houston on Wednesday. The 41-year-old forward endured a subdued performance, failing to score and later becoming the target of "Messi, Messi" chants from sections of the Congolese crowd.

Portugal initially seemed poised for victory after João Neves gave them an early lead. However, DR Congo's Yoane Wissa equalized before halftime, securing a memorable point against one of the tournament favorites. Ronaldo struggled to make an impact, managing only two off-target shots and touching the ball just 25 times during the match.

This result extended Ronaldo's goal drought at major international tournaments to 10 games, a streak that dates back to Euro 2024. His struggles have also been evident in Portugal’s pre-World Cup friendlies, where he failed to score against Chile and Nigeria. As Ronaldo exited the pitch after the final whistle, videos that quickly went viral showed DR Congo fans chanting Lionel Messi’s name at him. Ronaldo, however, remained composed, acknowledging supporters and calmly walking to the tunnel without responding to the taunts.

Despite the chants, Ronaldo displayed grace when a DR Congo fan ran onto the field. The Portugal captain warmly embraced the fan, earning praise for his calm reaction. The incident gained further attention as it came just a day after Lionel Messi delivered a stellar performance for Argentina.

Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, scored a hat-trick in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria, matching Miroslav Klose’s World Cup record of 16 goals. At 36, Messi also became the oldest player to net a hat-trick in the tournament, drawing a sharp contrast to Ronaldo’s struggles. The contrasting performances of the two football legends have quickly become a major talking point in the opening week of the World Cup.

The viral video of the "Messi, Messi" chants sparked a heated online debate. While some fans criticized the taunts as disrespectful, others called for mutual respect between supporters of the two football icons. One user commented, “I’m a diehard fan of Messi, but I think we should not disgrace him like this. He was an absolute beast in his prime, and that should be respected no matter which player you admire.” Another user added, “Legends have off days too.”

For DR Congo, the draw marked a historic moment, as the team made its first World Cup appearance in 52 years. However, some fans expressed disappointment at how the occasion was overshadowed by the chants directed at Ronaldo.