Cristiano Ronaldo, the most followed human on the planet, turned in one of his worst World Cup performances on Tuesday as Portugal stumbled to a 1-1 draw against DR Congo in their tournament opener in Houston. The 41-year-old missed multiple clear chances and, depending on which outlet you trust, earned a match rating as low as 3 out of 10.
For a squad that entered the 2026 World Cup as one of the favorites, this was not the script. And the fallout is hitting more than just the pitch: Ronaldo’s sprawling crypto empire, from Binance NFTs to the unofficial meme coins that orbit his brand, is now in the spotlight as traders watch for volatility across fan tokens and Ronaldo-adjacent digital assets.
A night to forget in Houston
Portugal took the lead in the 7th minute. Then, essentially, stopped playing.
Coach Roberto Martinez drew as much criticism as his star forward for a game plan that produced almost nothing in the final third after that early goal. Ronaldo, for his part, spent long stretches standing in position waiting for a perfect ball that never arrived.
