‘Ronaldo isn't the same as before’ — DR Congo star brags after silencing Portugal legend

Portugal's opening World Cup match ended in a highly frustrating draw against a brave DR Congo squad in Texas.

Following the unexpected tie, an opposing midfielder openly mocked the ageing captain's performance on the pitch.

DR Congo star Ngal'ayel Mukau took a direct jab at the forty-one-year-old striker after successfully keeping him quiet for ninety minutes.

The young defender insisted his squad had no special plan to stop the forward because his physical powers have clearly faded with age.

Mukau expressed his honest thoughts to reporters after the historic draw, saying: “We know that Ronaldo isn't the same as before. He's a bit older now. But still, he's one of the greatest to play the game... much respect to him. When you get old like that, it’s not the same. It’s not the same effort that you can make.”

The veteran attacker finished the game with a terrible record of having failed to score in ten consecutive games at major international competitions (World Cup and Euros) and faced heavy criticism from former players for missing key opportunities.

Despite facing heavy backlash from fans and media outlets, the legendary captain immediately took to social media to send a defiant message to his followers.

Cristiano Ronaldo asked his teammates to keep their heads up and quickly shift their focus to their upcoming Group K fixtures against Uzbekistan and Colombia.

The game had initially started perfectly for Portugal when young midfielder João Neves scored a beautiful early header in the sixth minute of play.

However, the African nation fought back bravely and secured their first World Cup point in fifty-two years when forward Yoane Wissa scored a dramatic equaliser right before halftime.

The European favourites tried hard to find a winning goal during a tense second half, but the DR Congo defence stood incredibly tall until the final whistle.