Cristiano Ronaldo, the most capped player in World Cup history, managed just 25 touches in Portugal’s 1-1 draw against DR Congo in the 2026 World Cup opener. That’s his second-lowest touch count in any World Cup starting appearance across six tournaments stretching back to 2006.
To put that in perspective, the opposing goalkeeper had more touches than Ronaldo. That’s not a one-off, either. It’s now happened in eight consecutive matches.
A performance measured in scarcity
Ronaldo managed 3 shots and won just 1 duel across the full match.
For a player who entered this tournament hoping to become the first person to score in six different World Cups, the stat line reads more like a substitute cameo than a starting role for one of the greatest forwards to ever play the sport.
