Cristiano Ronaldo made history by appearing in his sixth FIFA World Cup, joining Lionel Messi. However, the milestone was overshadowed by Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo and Ronaldo's subdued performance.
Cristiano Ronaldo's goal drought extended to 802 minutes and 10 matches after failing to score in Portugal's 1-1 draw with DR Congo in their World Cup 2026 opener. Despite a strong start from Portugal, DR Congo equalized before halftime. Ronaldo missed two chances in the second half. He previously missed a penalty in Euro 2024 and has scored only eight World Cup goals compared to Messi's 16.
Vinicius Jr scored and assisted as Brazil defeated Panama 6-2 in a World Cup friendly. Neymar was absent due to injury, while the US also secured a 3-2 warmup win against Senegal.
Christian Pulisic ended a nearly six-month goal drought for club and country, scoring and assisting in the USMNT's 3-2 friendly win against Senegal. The victory provided a much-needed boost ahead of the World Cup.
