Messi, Mbappe, Haaland and Kane began the World Cup in style, but what happened to Ronaldo and Portugal?

“This is far from over.”

These are the words of Cristiano Ronaldo after Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening Group K game at the World Cup 2026.

One presumes he means Portugal’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages, but could it also be applied to his own international career?

Ronaldo overshadowed by Messi, Mbappe, Haaland and Kane

On a historic day, in what is turning into a historic World Cup, the 41-year-old became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match – though Cameroon great Roger Milla remains the oldest outfield player to appear in a World Cup match, coming on as a substitute aged 42 during the 1994 World Cup, in which he also scored.

Ronaldo also joined longtime rival and Argentina captain Lionel Messi as the only players to play in six World Cups.

Messi’s hat-trick in the win over Algeria less than 24 hours earlier saw him equal Ronaldo’s record of scoring in five World Cups and draw level as the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer and, with Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane scoring twice in wins for France, Norway and England, all eyes were on another global icon, Portugal’s No 7 in Houston.

However, Ronaldo endured an afternoon of frustration leading the line as Portugal dominated possession but were unable to get the better of some disciplined DR Congo defending.

He did not appear a natural target man and had just 25 touches, the fewest of any Portugal starter, and 10 fewer than Yoane Wissa, who played upfront and scored the equaliser for DR Congo. By comparison, Portugal substitute Rafael Leao had 14 touches after he came on after 72 minutes.

It was Ronaldo’s second-fewest touches ever in 23 World Cup appearances and 17 of his 22 attempted passes went backwards.

He struggled to find space in a disciplined Congolese defence and had three shots, all of them off-target, spurning two close-range opportunities for what might have been a second-half winner, continuing the squanderous form he showed in Portugal’s final warm-up match against Nigeria on June 10.

Ronaldo could still make history and score in a sixth World Cup if he can find the net in either of the remaining group games against Uzbekistan on Tuesday (17:00 GMT) and Colombia the following Saturday night (23:30 GMT) or the knockout stages.

If he does the latter, it would be for the first time. His eight World Cup goals have all come in group games. He was dropped for the win over Switzerland in the Round of 16 at Qatar 2022 – his first non-start at a major tournament in 14 years, and, interestingly, a game which his side won 6-1.

Ronaldo has scored 143 goals in 229 appearances – both men’s world records – but his only goal in the last World Cup came from a penalty, in the opening game against Ghana. He went scoreless at Euro 2024 and has now gone 10 games without scoring in a major tournament.

He was 36 the last time he scored from open play in a major tournament, against Germany in Euro 2020.

‘It makes no sense to sub Ronaldo’

Portugal boss Roberto Martinez did not criticise Ronaldo in his post-match media conference, saying: “We have to utilise all the players on the pitch. The lead attacker [Ronaldo] needs to be close to the six-yard box and we need to get the ball [to him].”

Asked why he had not substituted Ronaldo after an ineffectual performance, Martinez said: “It makes no sense to get the best goalscorer in world football out in a game that you need goals.

“For us in moments like this, the experience of Cristiano in the box is important. The way that he attracts defenders is important; the way ⁠that we can use the space is important.

“And every player has a responsibility on the pitch. And clearly, when you look for goals, you need to have Cristiano.”

‘Portugal is a better side without him’

At one point in the second half, Ronaldo ducked out of a run towards the six-yard box, then pulled away from his marker to meet a cut-back from Francisco Conceicao nine yards out and finished the sequence when he skewed his shot past the near post.

Just behind him, Bruno Fernandes, for whom the pass seemed to have been intended, was left with his head in his hands while Ronaldo grimaced.

Speaking on Fox in the USA, France’s former World Cup winner Thierry Henry remarked: “One thing that’s important – the team needs to score, you do not need to score.

“But because he [Ronaldo] wants to score, he goes into the path of Fernandes. If he goes into that six-yard box, [the defender] would have had to follow him and then it would have been a tap-in for Fernandes.

“But because he wants to score, he goes into the path of the pass. You see both players, and it’s easier for you to defend,” Henry added.

Former Ghana midfielder Kevin Prince Boateng, speaking on SBS Sport in Australia, said: “Can I be honest? Ronaldo, if he would be a real team player, would step down and let the young players flow. Because Portugal is a better side without him.

“If Portugal wants to have a chance to go far, I believe Ronaldo should step down, let the others play and come in for the last 15 to 20 minutes.”