Portugal kick off their campaign against DR Congo
Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup chapter begins under the lights in Houston as Portugal open their 2026 campaign against a DR Congo side returning to football’s grandest stage for the first time in 52 years.
For Portugal, the expectations are familiar. Since 2002, they have become one of the tournament’s modern constants, joining England, France, Germany and Spain as the only European nations to appear at every World Cup in that span. Roberto MartÃnez’s team arrive in Texas carrying both momentum and ambition after cruising through qualifying with 20 goals in six matches.
A ruthless 9–1 demolition of Armenia highlighted Portugal’s attacking depth, with Bruno Fernandes and João Neves each helping themselves to hat-tricks. Yet once again, all eyes fall on Cristiano Ronaldo.
Now 41, Ronaldo finished as Portugal’s leading scorer in qualifying and remains the only player in history to score in five separate World Cups. The Al-Nassr forward is also set to become the second-oldest outfield player ever to appear at the tournament, behind only Cameroon legend Roger Milla.
There is another piece of history within touching distance. Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are both chasing a record sixth World Cup appearance, though Messi is expected to edge ahead by featuring in Argentina’s opener one day earlier.
Portugal’s recent World Cup record suggests they will be difficult to stop. They have scored in 10 of their last 11 matches at the tournament, with the only blank coming in the painful 1–0 quarter-final defeat to Morocco in 2022.
