Ronaldo dares you to doubt him in Houston
Four hours out, Portugal's talisman has the loudest voice in Group K's opening night.
"Have you not seen me play?" That, more or less, was Cristiano Ronaldo's reply to anyone fretting over his fitness — a confident shrug as Portugal's campaign begins. Argue with a man who refuses to flinch? Good luck.
The venue is Houston Stadium. Both Portugal and DR Congo open their Group K accounts here on June 17, and neither has kicked a ball in this tournament yet.
Portugal arrive in rhythm. Four wins from their last five, Pedro Neto on the scoresheet in the most recent — a 2-1 defeat of Nigeria — and a run of fixtures that have been the more expansive of the two. No wonder the bookmakers install them as clear favourites.
DR Congo's road has been bumpier. Beaten by Chile in their final warm-up. Beaten by Algeria back in January. Trading, too, in lower-scoring nights. They land as the outsiders, hunting a result against the grain.
Written and fact-checked by our AI preview desk from live match data. Refreshed as kickoff nears.
