DR Congo's historic draw against Portugal thrills Moutoussamy and Wissa

DR Congo secured the first point in its World Cup history by holding Portugal to a 1-1 draw in their opening match of the 2026 tournament. A result that triggered a wave of emotion in the Leopards’ dressing room.

Samuel Moutoussamy made no secret of his pride at having neutralized Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portuguese teammates. The midfielder grasped the symbolic weight of facing one of football’s greatest legends, emphasizing that standing up to such an opponent represented a moral victory in itself for the Congolese national team.

Yoane Wissa, who scored the equalizer that secured this historic point for DR Congo, experienced the final whistle with visible emotion. The striker wanted to place the result in a context far broader than sport. “We are aware that there is war in the east of Congo,” he said, dedicating his team’s performance to the populations affected by the conflict ravaging the country’s east. His celebration, noted after his goal, carried this message as well.

This inaugural point in the Leopards’ World Cup history thus takes on particular significance: sporting first, with a result earned against one of Europe’s most decorated nations, but also human and political, in a context where football has become for many Congolese a rare reason for unity and hope.