'The team needs to score, not you' - Ronaldo struggles as rivals sparkle

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Cristiano Ronaldo missed two second-half chances in Portugal's draw against DR Congo By Phil Cartwright BBC Sport journalist Published 17 June 2026 Updated 37 minutes ago Three of football's biggest superstars lit up the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday. Kylian Mbappe's two goals against Senegal made him France's all-time leading scorer. Norway's Erling Haaland then marked his World Cup debut with two goals in a victory against Iraq. Lionel Messi went one better, netting a hat-trick for Argentina against Algeria to move level with Germany's Miroslav Klose as the joint-leading goalscorer in World Cup finals history. On Wednesday, the stage was set for Cristiano Ronaldo to make his own mark on the tournament - but the Portugal captain was unable to follow suit. His side laboured to a 1-1 draw against DR Congo, and Ronaldo struggled to make an impact in his first opportunity to make history by becoming the first man to score in six different World Cups. As the game wore on, Ronaldo appeared increasingly desperate to end a run of nine matches at major tournaments without scoring and he squandered his side's best chance for a winner when his run blocked a cut-back to Bruno Fernandes, who was in a better position near the penalty spot to score. Speaking on Fox Sports, former France striker Thierry Henry said Ronaldo was being selfish by taking the pass to Fernandes for himself. "If he goes into the six-yard box, the defender would have had to follow him and it would have been a tap-in for Fernandes," said Henry. "Because he wants to score, he goes into the path of the pass. "That's my thing - the team needs to score, not you." DR Congo earn first World Cup point to frustrate Portugal and Ronaldo England win thrilling World Cup opener against Croatia By starting the match, Ronaldo became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match at 41 years and 132 days of age. It was a surprise, therefore, that the veteran was left on the field for the duration of the match. Ex-Premier League striker Chris Sutton, commentating for BBC Radio 5 Live, was critical of boss Roberto Martinez's decision to leave Ronaldo - who has 229 caps and 143 goals for his country - on the field for the full match in Houston. As striker Goncalo Ramos replaced midfielder Vitinha in the 83th minute, Sutton said: "That's embarrassing from Martinez. It might work but are we all watching a different game? "He's scared to take him off. He's not the manager. [Ronaldo] may end up scoring the winner but the game has passed him by today." Before kick-off, ex-England captain Wayne Rooney joked that his former Manchester United team-mate would be "raging - but in a good way" that the other stars had begun the tournament so well the previous day. "That's how he's pushed himself and his mentality is that everything is a challenge for him," said Rooney on BBC One. "Over the years, him and Messi have pushed each other to get to these levels. "He wants to be