Portugal's Martinez calls for self-criticism after World Cup draw with DR Congo
Portugal held 1-1 by DR Congo in their FIFA World Cup Group F opener on June 18, 2026, with Joao Neves scoring in the sixth minute before Yoane Wissa netted the Congolese debutants' historic first World Cup goal. Coach Roberto Martinez acknowledged his team must improve despite maintaining composure post-match, stating they need to be 'very self-critical' and assess the performance properly.
The draw came as Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score, though Martinez pointed to examples of teams like Argentina and Spain that stumbled early in past tournaments but still won the trophy. Martinez confirmed Ronaldo will captain Portugal in their next match against Uzbekistan in Houston on June 23, aiming to address rising skepticism about the team's performance.
This result leaves Portugal with work to do in Group F, particularly given the early goal conceded to a team making their World Cup debut. Martinez's measured response suggests he's not panicking after just one match, but the performance against DR Congo will likely need significant improvement against stronger opposition.