Ronaldo’s Goal Drought Deepens as Portugal Captain Goes 10 Major Tournament Matches Without a Goal

Cristiano Ronaldo’s struggles in front of goal at major international tournaments continued on Wednesday after the Portugal captain failed to find the net in his side’s 1-1 draw against DR Congo in their opening Group K match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The 41-year-old forward, appearing in a record sixth World Cup, has now gone 10 consecutive matches for Portugal at major tournaments without scoring, a remarkable statistic for a player widely regarded as one of football’s greatest goalscorers.

Ronaldo’s barren run stretches back to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he failed to score against Uruguay, South Korea, Switzerland and Morocco after netting a penalty in Portugal’s opening game against Ghana. Portugal’s quarter-final defeat to Morocco marked the end of a disappointing campaign for the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star.

The drought continued at UEFA Euro 2024, where Ronaldo endured one of the most frustrating tournaments of his international career. Despite starting every match, he failed to score against Czechia, Türkiye, Georgia, Slovenia and France as Portugal exited the competition in the quarter-finals.

READ ALSO: DR Congo Force Portugal To 1-1 Draw in W’Cup Opener

Hopes that the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico would provide the perfect stage for redemption suffered an early setback against DR Congo.

Portugal took the lead through João Neves after just six minutes and dominated possession for large periods of the contest. However, Roberto Martínez’s side failed to convert their superiority into goals, allowing Yoane Wissa to equalise before halftime and secure a historic point for the African nation.

Ronaldo endured another difficult evening, struggling to influence proceedings as DR Congo’s defenders closely marked him throughout the match. Reports indicated that he either failed to register a shot on target or was unable to convert the few chances that came his way, extending a worrying trend in major tournaments.

The draw has intensified scrutiny on Portugal’s dependence on their veteran captain. While Ronaldo remains the nation’s all-time leading scorer and one of the most decorated players in football history, his last goal at a major tournament came from the penalty spot against Ghana during the 2022 World Cup group stage.
Portugal still have group-stage matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia to come, giving Ronaldo opportunities to finally end the drought.

By David Bolarinwa