Axel Tuanzebe played a central role in DR Congo’s surprising 0-0 draw against Portugal in their opening match at the World Cup in Houston, marking the nation’s first appearance in the tournament since 1974. The Burnley centre-back, who previously shared a Manchester United dressing room with Cristiano Ronaldo and sought advice from the Portuguese star during their time as teammates, showed no remorse for limiting the 41-year-old forward’s impact during the game.

Tuanzebe described Ronaldo as still hungry and eager to demonstrate his abilities despite growing criticism regarding his age and capacity to perform at the highest level. He acknowledged Ronaldo’s desire to reach significant goal-scoring milestones but stressed that his defensive efforts were part of his job. “Cristiano is still hungry, he still wants to play, he still wants to show everybody how good he is... He will be disappointed, but that’s my job,” Tuanzebe said. He added that the result had brought personal satisfaction after a difficult Premier League season with Burnley, which ended in relegation, and expressed optimism about DR Congo’s prospects going forward.

The draw against Portugal has injected new confidence into the DR Congo squad as they focus on securing qualification from their group. Tuanzebe emphasized the urgency of their upcoming matches against Colombia and Uzbekistan, stating the team intends to give their full effort to secure a win to advance. “It’s definitely a positive for me personally. It’s a massive tournament, the biggest event in the world, and we want to perform and do well,” he remarked.

Team-mate Ngal’ayel Mukau also commented on Portugal’s performance, noting that DR Congo did not feel the need to devise a specific plan to contain Ronaldo, acknowledging the veteran’s legendary status but questioning his current effectiveness. “He’s one of the greatest to ever play the game. So much respect to him. But there was no plan, not really, because we know that he isn’t the same as before. He’s a bit older now. When you get old like that, it’s not the same effort that you can make,” Mukau said.

DR Congo celebrated their point as if it were a victory, reflecting the significance of the result for a team returning to the World Cup after nearly five decades. Mukau warned that the team is not at the tournament merely to participate but aims to make its mark. “We’re not here to participate. We’re really here to create our own history. We know that we can play, that we have a strong defence. It’s up to us to play,” he added.

The result represented a defensive success for DR Congo and a challenge to Ronaldo’s continued dominance on football’s biggest stage, underscoring the competitive nature of the tournament and the emergence of teams eager to cause upsets.