DR Congo midfielder Ngal Ayel Mukau has admitted there was no special plan to stop Cristiano Ronaldo before Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw in their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener.
Portugal entered the match with Ronaldo once again attracting much of the attention, but DR Congo left with a point after frustrating one of the tournament’s biggest names.
It was a blunt assessment, but not a disrespectful one from DR Congo midfielder, who showed his respect to Cristiano Ronaldo – one of the all-time greats.
Ngal Ayel Mukau admits DR Congo didn’t use special tactics against Cristiano Ronaldo
After the game, Mukau was asked whether his side had prepared a specific approach to contain the Portugal captain.
Rather than claim DR Congo had built their defensive plan around Ronaldo, the midfielder suggested the 41-year-old is no longer the same force he once was.
“A special plan to contain Cristiano Ronaldo? To be honest, not really. We know that he isn’t the same as before. He’s a bit older now. But still, he’s one of the greatest… much respect to him.”
Mukau recognised Ronaldo’s legendary status while also making it clear DR Congo did not view him as the same unstoppable threat he was during his peak years.
Portugal held as Ronaldo faces familiar World Cup scrutiny
The 1-1 draw was a strong result for DR Congo and a frustrating start for Portugal. For Ronaldo, the spotlight is always sharper at a World Cup, especially at this stage of his career.
He remains one of the biggest names in the tournament, but Mukau’s comments captured the reality facing Portugal.
Opponents still respect Ronaldo. They still understand what he has achieved. But they may no longer feel they need to build an entire defensive plan around stopping him.
That was perhaps the most telling part of Mukau’s answer after DR Congo walked away with a valuable point.
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