Roberto Martinez pleased with Portugal's draw vs DR Congo

Portugal opened its 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1‑1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo, and manager Roberto Martinez said he is very satisfied with his squad’s attitude despite the stalemate. The match, played on Wednesday, saw Portugal concede an equaliser after leading, prompting Martinez to highlight the team’s resilience. Martinez noted a strong start, saying, "Nous avons très bien démarré le match. Marquer ce but aurait dû être un moment fort, mais ça n’a pas été le cas." He added that the side lost some offensive depth and fluidity, allowing the opposition to reorganise. He observed that the confidence the opponents gained after scoring made the contest difficult, remarking, "La confiance qu’ils ont acquise après ce but a rendu le match très difficile, mais c’est ce qui arrive en Coupe du monde." The coach linked this to typical World Cup dynamics.

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Expressing satisfaction, Martinez declared, "Je suis très satisfait de l’attitude de l’équipe. Ce n’était pas un manque d’engagement ou de cœur, nous avons continué à nous battre jusqu’à la toute fin." He stressed that the team can progress thanks to the experience gained. Martinez stressed that nothing alarming has happened and that Portugal has not been eliminated, which he considered perhaps the most important factor in starting the tournament against a theoretically weaker nation.

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Portugal will face Uzbekistan on Tuesday at 19:00, hoping to secure their first World Cup win of the 2026 edition. The upcoming fixture offers a chance to build on the lessons from the opening draw. In Group K, Portugal currently sit third, level with the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Colombia leads after a 1‑0 victory over Ghana. The standings set the context for Portugal’s next matches.