Portugal begin their World Cup campaign against DR Congo on Wednesday in Houston, and the opening match carries a little extra weight because the two sides have never faced each other before. Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to lead the line for Portugal as Roberto Martínez starts the tournament with a familiar shape rather than a surprise.
That is why the search around Portugal Vs Dr Congo is landing now: it is not just Portugal’s first match of the tournament, but also the first time this pairing has been staged. For Ronaldo, 41, it is another step in what is described as his sixth and final tournament, a role that still puts him at the centre of Portugal’s biggest nights.
Portugal arrive as reigning UEFA Nations League champions, yet the global prize that has eluded them remains untouched. That gap gives this opener its force. A team that can beat anyone in Europe still has to prove it can turn control into a World Cup start, and Martínez is expected to trust the players who have carried them this far rather than tear up the plan before the first whistle.
Diogo Costa remains Portugal’s No.1 after his penalty-saving heroics at Euro 2024, while João Cancelo, Rúben Dias and Nuno Mendes all shape a back line with enough experience to settle the first hour of the tournament. Nuno Mendes is expected to matter most when Portugal have the ball, because breaking down a stubborn and deep-lying DR Congo side will demand width, patience and repeated pressure rather than one sharp attack.
The other side of the match is equally clear. Gonçalo Inácio will be asked to deal with Yoane Wissa and Cédric Bakambu at NRG Stadium, a task that could decide whether Portugal spend the night on the front foot or under occasional strain. If Ronaldo gives them the early edge they want, Portugal can make the night look routine. If not, the first match of the campaign becomes the first real test of whether a veteran core still has enough to carry a side that has never won the World Cup.
Houston is only the first stop, but for Portugal this opener is already the measure of the tournament: a first meeting, a familiar team sheet and a captain in Ronaldo who knows this may be the last chance to shape the story one more time.
