Portugal draw 1–1 with DR Congo, Ronaldo criticism erupts

Portugal 1–1 DR Congo, and the noise is already loud

Your team opened the World Cup with a flat draw. Portugal 1–1 DR Congo in the group stage opener, and the reaction has been harsh (2). Rúben Dias did not duck it afterward. "The criticism is not significant for us; it's noise and part of the competition," he said. "It always happens if you have a match that doesn't go well. We're closing ourselves off from unnecessary criticism" (2).

Dias also addressed the pressure on Cristiano Ronaldo directly: "Cristiano, of course, is used to dealing with the media pressure we usually face at our clubs, with the national team, at world tournaments and in European competitions. In this sort of competition, it will never be perfect. This is a competition you can win only if you play well game after game" (2).

Ronaldo's camp fires back

The criticism has reached Ronaldo's family. His sister Elma Aveiro posted a sharp response to detractors: "Respeito, nem (mesmo) pela família deles têm, quanto mais por um homem que não tem que mostrar nada para ninguém e está ali por amor. Ingratos ignorantes", roughly, they have no respect even for their own families, let alone a man who has nothing left to prove and is here out of love (7).

Ronaldo himself posted a message on social media as the "crisis" narrative swirled (8).

Neves' girlfriend wades in

Madalena Aragão, João Neves' girlfriend, also took to social media with a harsh critique of Ronaldo after the draw (6). The post adds another layer of tension around a squad trying to regroup.

The set-piece link behind the scenes

Away from the noise, there is an interesting connection between Portugal and Aston Villa. A set-piece specialist works with both Roberto Martínez and Unai Emery, described by one report as bringing "un cambio revolucionario", a revolutionary change, to how both managers approach dead-ball situations (1).

Costa heads home

Assistant coach Francisco Costa is leaving Fortuna Sittard for Benfica. The Portuguese coach returns to Portugal in what the Dutch press called a "prachttransfer", a top move for the assistant (4).

Fan reactions

The mood around the expanded 48-team World Cup has been surprisingly positive among neutrals, with some fans pointing to matchups like Portugal–Congo as exactly the kind of fixture the format delivers. The draw itself has not dampened that sentiment, but Portuguese fans are squarely focused on the performance rather than the novelty. Join the discussion