Cristiano Ronaldo’s opening match at the 2026 World Cup has sparked heated debate after Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo, with Thierry Henry accusing the forward of putting personal ambition ahead of team play during a key attacking moment in Houston.
The Portugal captain, making history as the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match at 41 years and 132 days, endured a frustrating night as his side failed to turn dominance into victory and later found himself at the centre of sharp criticism from Henry.
Portugal controlled much of the game, keeping 75 per cent possession and creating several openings, but DR Congo stayed compact and disciplined to earn a valuable point in their tournament opener.
Joao Neves gave Portugal an early lead in the sixth minute, but DR Congo hit back before halftime when Newcastle United forward Yoane Wissa rose highest to head in the equaliser.
Despite sustained pressure after the break, Portugal could not find a winner, with Ronaldo twice denied from promising positions created by substitute Francisco Conceicao.
The result also denied Ronaldo the chance to become the first player to score in six different World Cups, extending his wait for another milestone on the global stage.
Much of the post-match attention shifted to Henry’s analysis, where he pointed to a second-half attacking move involving Joao Cancelo and Bruno Fernandes as the moment that summed up his concerns.
"One thing that's important, people, please at home: the team needs to score, not you need to score," Henry stated.
He broke down the sequence, arguing that Ronaldo’s movement disrupted a clearer opportunity for his teammate.
"So, obviously, we're going to see here Portugal being on the ball, Cancelo is going to receive the ball. Cristiano Ronaldo has been in this situation multiple times. If you make that run here, you - you make the defender take a decision to crash the six-yard box," Henry explained.
He added: "But because he wants to score, he goes into the path of Bruno Fernandes. If he goes into that six-yard box, you've been in that situation, I'll see - you would have had to follow him, follow him, and then he would have been a tap-in for Bruno Fernandes. But because he wants to score, he goes into the path of the back pass. You see both players, and it's easier for you to defend."
Henry later revisited the incident while analysing the match for Fox 26 Houston, maintaining that Ronaldo’s run reduced Portugal’s attacking options in a key moment.
"One thing that's important... the team needs to score, not you need to score. But because he wants to score, he goes into the path of Bruno Fernandes. If he goes into the six-yard box, you would have to follow him and then it would have been a tap-in for Bruno Fernandes," he said.
He also highlighted Fernandes’ reaction after the chance went begging.
"You saw the reaction of Bruno Fernandes, going like 'let it roll'," he added.
Before kickoff, former England captain Wayne Rooney had joked that Ronaldo would be "raging - but in a good way" after watching several stars make strong starts to the tournament.
France captain Kylian Mbappe scored twice against Senegal to become his country’s all-time top scorer with 58 goals, while Norway striker Erling Haaland netted a brace against Iraq on his World Cup debut. Lionel Messi also scored a hat-trick against Algeria, moving level with Miroslav Klose as the joint-leading scorer in World Cup finals history.
Ronaldo, chasing the landmark of 1,000 career goals, struggled to make a decisive impact despite a few half-chances late in the match.
Online reaction split opinion, with some fans defending the forward, saying the pass was behind him and difficult to judge, while others backed Henry’s criticism.
"Ronaldo has played football for more than 20 years, and for a large stretch of his career, he was a GOAT-tier player. He knew where Bruno was," one fan wrote.
Another added, "His positioning was selfish from the beginning. If he makes that run, it opens up space for Bruno to run into and potentially get a wide-open spot. You have to be aware of your teammate's position on the field to be a quality player."
The draw leaves Portugal with work to do in the group stage, while Ronaldo’s search for another World Cup goal continues as the pressure builds on the veteran forward.