Ronaldo's sister defends him after Portugal are held by DR Congo in World Cup opener

Portugal stumbled in their World Cup opener on Wednesday, held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in Houston, and Cristiano Ronaldo found himself at the centre of the fallout. The 41-year-old failed to find the target with either of his second-half chances, prompting pointed criticism from pundits including Thierry Henry.

Joao Neves had given Portugal an early lead with a flicked header, but Yoane Wissa was allowed a free header on the stroke of half-time to level the match. Ronaldo’s lack of movement in the second half drew particular scrutiny, with Henry — speaking in a post-match analysis segment — suggesting the veteran forward was prioritising personal statistics over the team’s needs. “The team needs to score, it’s not you who needs to score,” Henry said.

Ronaldo’s sister, Katia Aveiro, moved quickly to defend him on social media. “They magically forgot how to pass the ball, how to win the ball, how to counter-attack, the game ‘rolled’ back from midfield,” she wrote on Instagram, arguing the entire squad underperformed rather than her brother alone. In a follow-up video, she was equally direct: “Nobody played well, in my humble opinion.”

Aveiro also put the result in broader perspective, referencing the grief surrounding the Jota family. “I’m sad when I see that image of Diogo Jota’s mother and father — that’s what sadness is. It would be selfish of me to feel sad because of the disappointment of our draw in the World Cup opener.”

The result extended a difficult run for Ronaldo on the international stage. He has now gone 10 consecutive matches at World Cups and European Championships without scoring for Portugal — a stretch that spans his twilight years at the top level. The Houston appearance also made him the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match, at 41 years and 132 days.

Portugal manager Roberto Martinez has shown no inclination to drop him. “It makes no sense to get the best goalscorer in world football out in a game that you need goals,” Martinez said after the final whistle. “The experience of Cristiano in the box is important. The way that he attracts defenders is important, the way that we can use the space is important.”

Portugal will need a sharper performance in their next group fixture if they are to avoid an early exit from a tournament they entered as one of the more fancied European sides.