Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal started their Group K campaign at the FIFA World Cup with a 1-1 draw against the DR Congo in Houston. As the NFL is in the offseason, several current and former players, including Robert Griffin III, have followed the tournament and reacted to DR Congo’s result.
Robert Griffin III Reacts to DR Congo’s World Cup Draw vs. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal
With Wednesday’s draw, DR Congo earned their first-ever World Cup point after returning to the tournament for the first time since 1974. The stadium was instantly filled with DR Congo fans’ celebrations, creating a historic and emotional atmosphere.
Griffin also expressed his excitement at witnessing those moments.
“Congo hasn’t been to the World Cup in 52 years and had never scored a goal in the World Cup until today against Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo. The 1-1 result gave Congo their first point at the World Cup ever. YOU LOVE TO SEE IT,” Griffin posted with a video of DR Congo fans’ celebrations.
Congo hasn’t been to the World Cup in 52 years and had never scored a goal in the World Cup until today against Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo. The 1-1 result gave Congo their first point at the World Cup Ever.
YOU LOVE TO SEE IT#WorldCup https://t.co/1ORW97nGHY pic.twitter.com/DqkYOkdFFc
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) June 17, 2026
In the game, Portugal made a fast start when João Neves scored a header just six minutes in, but they failed to build on that early advantage. DR Congo grew into the game and were rewarded just before halftime when Yoane Wissa headed in an equalizer from Arthur Masuaku’s cross.
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That equalizer proved fruitful, as DR Congo held on for a memorable draw in their first World Cup appearance in over five decades since competing as Zaire. Head coach Sébastien Desabre described the result as a positive “step forward”, praising his players’ effort and commitment against a strong Portugal side.
“We are delighted,” Desabre said.
Wissa, who made the most of his chance when a well-placed cross arrived in the box, later shared his excitement.
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“I’m obviously very proud today because we’ve worked extremely hard,” Wissa said. “It was a very difficult match against a team that was stronger than us. But we showed courage and resilience. Scoring our first goal is a huge source of pride because it reflects the character of this team. The most important thing now is to keep going.”
As for Ronaldo, he started and played the full 90 minutes, becoming the oldest outfield player ever to start a World Cup match and earning his 23rd World Cup appearance. Despite his experience, he was largely contained by DR Congo’s defense, managing very few touches and no shots on target, and was kept quiet throughout the match.
The draw puts early pressure on Portugal, which entered the tournament as one of the favorites. They will next face Uzbekistan on June 23 before concluding their group stage against Colombia on June 27. DR Congo’s remaining fixtures are against Colombia and Uzbekistan.
Meanwhile, as for which team Griffin is rooting for, he was born in Okinawa, Japan, where his parents, Robert Griffin Jr. and Jacqueline, were stationed in the United States Army. So, you may have seen his pinned post on X, where he says he supports Japan and describes himself as “Blackanese.”
