The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) achieved a historic milestone at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after earning their first-ever point in the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Portugal in their Group K opening match.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s sixth World Cup campaign began on a disappointing note as DR Congo matched Portugal’s strength despite the European side’s early advantage.
Portugal took the lead in the sixth minute when João Neves scored with a powerful header from Pedro Neto’s cross. However, DR Congo responded before halftime as Yoane Wissa headed in the equaliser, scoring his country’s first-ever World Cup goal.
The Congolese team, making their first World Cup appearance since 1974 when they competed as Zaire, continued to challenge Portugal throughout the match.
Ronaldo, aged 41, struggled to influence the game and missed key chances that could have given Portugal victory. His performance was compared with Lionel Messi’s impact after Messi scored a hat-trick for Algeria in their earlier match.
DR Congo’s achievement was even more impressive considering their preparations were affected by an Ebola outbreak in the country.
Portugal dominated possession but failed to create enough clear chances, while DR Congo showed strong determination and nearly scored again through veteran striker Cédric Bakambu, whose shot hit the post.
Portugal thought they had scored through João Cancelo’s overhead kick, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
The result leaves both teams with one point each as DR Congo celebrate a memorable return to world football’s biggest stage.
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